Impact of various concentrations of crude oil on fungal populations of soil

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The effect of various concentrations of crude oil on fungal populations of soil was investigated for a period of 18 weeks using standard methods. Total fungal counts ranged from 26 to 143 × 10 2 cfu/gsoil while counts of petroleum-utilizing fungi ranged from 2 to 102 × 10 2 cfu/g soil. Analysis of variance and randomized complete block design of counts of total fungi and petroleum-utilizers showed high significant difference between the control and the oil treated soils at p < 0.05 level. Counts of petroleum-utilizers expressed as a percentage of the corresponding total fungal count of the soils ranged from 4.7 % to 58.8 %. Species of fourteen fungal genera were isolated from the soils. These include Alternaria, Aspergillus, Candida, Cephalosporium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Mucor, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Rhodotolura, Saccharomyces, Torulopsis and Trichoderma. Of these, ten were petroleum-utilizers and were all isolated from the control and 1 % oil treated soils. Only seven genera were isolated from the 5 % oil treated soil out of which five genera were petroleum-utilizers in both the 3 % and 5 % treatment. The decreasing order of occurrence of a variety of fungal genera (fungal diversity) of both total fungi and petroleum-utilizers is 0 % (control) > 0.5 % > 1 % > 3 % > 5 %. This order of fungal diversity is a reverse of the decreasing order of fungal counts of these same soils. This showed that higher concentrations of crude oil has adverse effect on fungal diversity while enhancing the population of a fewer fungi.

Characterization of native fungi responsible for degrading crude oil from the coastal area of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia

“…and Fusarium spp. have also been reported to be efficient metabolizers of hydrocarbons [27,28]. Bartha [29], in their review, mentioned 14 fungal genera isolated from aquatic environments, with the potential to degrade hydrocarbons.…”

Aerobic Degradation of Petroleum Components by Microbial Consortia

“…The role of fungi in biodegradation process of petroleum products has been extensively studied and the most common fungi which have been recorded as a biodegrades belongs to following genera: Alternaria, Aspergillus, Candida, Cephalosporium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Gliocladium, Mucor, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, Pleurotus, Polyporus, Rhizopus, Rhodotolura, Saccharomyces, Talaromyces and Torulopsis [72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80][81].…”

Use of 16S rDNA Sequencing to Determine Procaryotic Diversity of a Remote Aviation Fuel-Polluted Lentic Ecosystem in Ibeno, Nigeria

“…Direct amplification of the 16S rRNA gene and its massive sequencing has corrected the underrepresentation of bacteria in many bacterial communities. Analysis of bacterial communities is now made easier by the ample data generated from various bacterial communities survey projects, like this hydrocarbon polluted and unpolluted lentic ecosystem [14,15].…”