Isolation and identification of fungi from marine sediments

Abstract

Marine sediments contain a wide range of unique microorganism not present in the terrestrial environment. Although marine sediments are known for the abundance of beneficial microorganisms such as fungi, there are only few reports concerning the investigation of them. This study is mainly concerned on the isolation and identification of fungi from marine sediments of Pulau Karah and Tanjung Berhala, Pulau Bidong in Terengganu. Sediments were sampled and fungi isolated from both sediments were cultured with essential growth factor. Each isolates were observed and identified up to genus and species level based on microscopic and macroscopic morphology. A total of 13 species of fungi were isolated from sediments at both sites. Seven species were isolated from Pulau Karah which consists of Acremonium sp., Alternaria sp., Aspergillus flavus, Malbranchea sp., Basidiobolus ranarum and Syncephalastrum sp. Fungi isolated from Tanjung Berhala are Malbranchea sp., Phialophora sp., Sepedonium sp., Tricophyton equinum and Rhizomucor pusillus. The most abundant fungi are Malbranchea sp. and Sepedonium sp. while only Malbranchea sp. is common for both sediments. Identified marine fungi were considered dominant for Phylum Ascomycota (62.93%) followed by Phylum Zygomycota (23.08%). Highest percentage of Ascomycetes is due to their ability to tolerate fluctuating saline condition of wetland intertidal water. Amongst all, only Alternaria sp. was classed as marine fungi while the rest were originated from terrestrial habitat. This indicates that there is possibility fungi originated from terrestrial habitat have been transported to marine sediment because fungi may be transported to the sea in the form of hyphae growing on organic particles from land and in the form of spores transported to the sea by wind. This experiment extends our knowledge about marine fungi from sediment of Pulau Karah and Tanjung Berhala at Pulau Bidong and helps to understand the diversity and similarity of marine fungi on both different sources.