Biomass, abundance and sensitivity to antibiotics and antimycotics of the fungi in the Vistula River with its main tributaries

Abstract

Mycoplankton of Vistula River and its main tributaries biomass as well as the number and morphotype diversity was studied in summer and autumn 2011. Summer mycoplankton biomass was within the range of 0.2 – 0.5 μg/l, while in the autumn it was two times wider range (0.1 – 1.3μg/l). The number of fungi in river water most often did not exceed 1000 – 2000 CFU/ml. Fungi colonies isolated from rivers water were sensitive to the commonly used amphotericine B (10 μg) and gentamicin (10 μg). It seems to be plausible that aquatic fungi can acquire immunity to drugs as a result of horizontal transfer of a gene responsible for drug resistance or as an effect of antibiotics and antimycotics getting into the aquatic ecosystems from wastewaters.