A Comparison of Fungal and Bacterial Activity on Decomposing Leaves of Colocasia Esculenta (Araceae)

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dc.contributor.advisorKoehn, Robert D.
dc.contributor.authorCleveland, William A.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberLemke, David E.
dc.contributor.committeeMemberWilliamson, Paula S.
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-07T16:51:24Z
dc.date.available2024-05-07T16:51:24Z
dc.date.issued1998-08
dc.description.abstractDecomposition of submerged and free standing terrestrial leaves of the aquatic macrophyte, Colocasia esculenta (Elephant Ear) by fungi and bacteria was studied. Leaves were cut from their petioles and submerged in waters of Spring Lake, San Marcos, Texas. Fungal activity was measured indirectly by the ergosterol method using a high performance liquid chromatograph. Bacterial activity was obtained using DAPI epifluorescent stain. Submerged leaves decomposed in 16 days. Bacterial concentration steadily increased over the 16 day period. No ergosterol was detected in submerged leaves indicating decomposition was due to bacterial activity. Free standing leaf decomposition occurred over a period of 40 days. Ergosterol content within the leaf plugs increased from 0 µg ergosterol/ g dry leaf mass to 3681.58 µg ergosterol/ g dry leaf mass whereas bacteria were found to be-at a minimal level indicating that fungi were most actively involved in the decomposition of the terrestrial leaves. A total of ten different fungal species were identified from the terrestrial leaf plugs.
dc.description.departmentBiology
dc.formatText
dc.format.extent47 pages
dc.format.medium1 file (.pdf)
dc.identifier.citationCleveland, W.A. (1998). A comparison of fungal and bacterial activity on decomposing leaves of Colocasia esculenta (Araceae) (Unpublished thesis). Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/18593
dc.language.isoen
dc.subjecttaro
dc.subjectfungi
dc.subjectbacterial growth
dc.subjectSpring Lake
dc.subjectSan Marcos River
dc.titleA Comparison of Fungal and Bacterial Activity on Decomposing Leaves of Colocasia Esculenta (Araceae)
dc.typeThesis
thesis.degree.departmentBiology
thesis.degree.disciplineBiology
thesis.degree.grantorSouthwest Texas State University
thesis.degree.levelMasters
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science

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