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Aims: In order to assess possible occupational risk for workers in a grain mill, we evaluated aerial microbiological contamination in different areas of the mill and at different points of the production line. We also measured the concentration of aerodispersed dust particles. Methods and Results: An assessment of microbiological contamination levels based on a Global Index of Microbial Contamination per cubic metre (GIMC per m 3 ), an Index of Mesophilic Bacterial Contamination, and an Amplification Index is proposed. The indices were obtained from total and fungal counts. The cleaning sector is the most contaminated area of the mill: the mean GIMC per m 3 was 17 213AE6. In this area, the average microbial contamination was 11AE41 times higher than that in the external environment. The highest concentrations of aerodispersed dust (inhalable 2AE763 mg m ; respirable 1AE400 mg m )3 ) were found in the cleaning area. Conclusions:The proposed microbiological indices and the concentrations of aerodispersed dust particles show that the most hazardous section of the mill is the cleaning area. The large variation in the data does not depend on seasonal factors, but rather on not easily identifiable conditions of the internal environment which facilitate diffusion and/or proliferation of the micro-organisms. Significance and Impact of the Study: The proposed microbiological contamination indices and the evaluation of the concentration of dust particles allow the identification of critical positions during the production cycle so that suitable measures to prevent the aerial contamination can be taken.

Vertebrate carrions, in particular fish, can provide a significant source of organic matter to lotic systems. Most studies related to animal matter degradation have been undertaken in Western North America, where entire lotic networks depend on large masses of anadromous salmonids, but less is known of other aquatic environments. In this study, the decomposition process of trout was analyzed in a Northern Italian stream, investigating the different importance of macro (invertebrates)-and micro (fungi)-consumers. Trout carcasses exhibited an exponential mass loss over time and attracted a rich community of microbic and invertebrate colonists. Final values for fish decay were significantly affected by the presence of macroconsumers; nevertheless, the role of macroinvertebrates seems to be not as predominant as in other ecological systems. Our study indicates that in lotic environments, which lack specialized necrophagous or sarcophagous invertebrate taxa equivalent to those found in terrestrial environments (such as maggots or carrion beetles), micro-consumers play a main role in fish carrions decomposition.

The fungal biodiversity in its overall is mostly still unknown and the ecological role of these organisms, particularly in some border ecosystems, is often underestimated. This study aims to give both an overview of the state of the art and to present new data on the mycodiversity in some peculiar environments as rocks, beach sand, and water in Italy. Particularly, rock fungi are here reported from high mountain peaks, sea cliffs, and monuments; sand associated fungi from beach ecosystems in Puglia and Ligurian coasts; marine fungi associated with the endemic seagrass of the Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica L.; aquatic hyphomycetes (Ingoldian fungi) from both streams in the Ticino Natural Park and lentic water in Lago Maggiore; fungi from the water distribution system in Turin. Ecological and evolutive considerations are put forward.

Periglacial areas are one of the least studied habitats on Earth, especially in terms of their fungal communities. In this work, both molecular and culture-dependent methods have been used to analyse the microfungi in soils sampled on the front of the East Dosdè Glacier (Valtellina, Northern Italy). Although this survey revealed a community that was rich in fungal species, a distinct group of psychrophilic microfungi has not been detected. Most of the isolated microfungi were mesophiles, which are well adapted to the sensitive climatic changes that occur in this alpine environment. A discrepancy in the results that were obtained by means of the two diagnostic approaches suggests that the used molecular methods cannot entirely replace traditional culture-dependent methods, and vice versa.