No abstract

The frequency and species diversity of keratinophilic fungi in 38 nests of nine species of wetland birds were examined. Nine species of geophilic dermatophytes and 13 <em>Chrysosporium</em> species were recorded. <em>Ch. keratinophilum</em>, which together with its teleomorph (<em>Aphanoascus fulvescens</em>) represented 53% of the keratinolytic mycobiota of the nests, was the most frequently observed species. <em>Chrysosporium tropicum, Trichophyton terrestre</em> and <em>Microsporum gypseum</em> populations were less widespread. The distribution of individual populations was not uniform and depended on physical and chemical properties of the nests (humidity, pH).

The study conducted has revealed the general abundance of cellulolytic fungi in the soil is significantly correlated only with the phosphors content. The correlation with specific soil properties was found in the case of the genera <i>Humicola, Penicillium, Fusarium</i> and <i>Chrysosporium</i> of the 10 genera of these fungi isolated most often.

Initial experiment was made in order to test wood-decomposing fungus Phlebiopsis gigantea for enzymatic activity. Laccase, peroxidase, cellulase, phosphatase, dehydrogenase were marked using different methods for P. gigantea isolates growing on Scots pine wood.

A total of 45 species of cellulolytic fungi and ten Fusarium species were identified. Three genera (<em>Chaetomium, Trichoderma, Fusarium</em>) represented 80% of the frequency of cellulolytic fungi. Of them, <em>Chaetomium globosum, Trichoderma viride</em> and <em>T. koningii</em> were some of the most frequent species. A high differentiation of the richness and frequency of species of cellulolytic fungi depending on the nest and its individual layers was observed. Reasons for the differences in the frequency and species composition of the fungi were discussed.

Effect of cooperation between native soil microorganisms and white-rot fungus Bjerkandera adusta R59 on degradation of daunomycin post-production wastes in soil was described. Pure cultures of B. adusta R59 strain were capable to decolorize and decompose that cytostatic xenobiotic in liquid media. Presence of R59 strain in studied daunomycin waste/soil systems increased the rate of the antibiotic conversion. The markers of that process were changes of waste biomass or daunomycin concentration (in pulp) and phenolics level and peroxidase activity (in effluent). It was shown that daunomycin in the wastes may be metabolized even up to 20% of its initial concentration. This effect was conjugated with the propagation of native soil microorganisms (microfungi and bacteria) more significant than in parallel system without R59 strain.