The relative ability of fungi from Sphagnum fuscum to decompose selected carbon substrates.

Nine species from a suite of 55 microfungi isolated from living and decomposing Sphagnum fuscum were selected for studies of in vitro decomposition of tannic acid, cellulose, and starch. In vitro decomposition of S. fuscum plants and spruce wood chips was also examined. Oidiodendron maius and Oidiodendron scytaloides degraded tannic acid, giving a positive reaction for polyphenol oxidases. Most taxa degraded cellulose and starch via the synthesis of cellulases and amylase, respectively. Mass losses of spruce wood chips generally exceeded those of S. fuscum. A basidiomycete, similar to Bjerkandera adusta, caused the greatest mass losses in spruce wood chips (10.2%), while O. scytaloides caused the smallest mass losses (3.4%) after 8 weeks. For S. fuscum, Sordaria fimicola caused the greatest (5.1%) and Mucor hiemalis the smallest (0.1%) mass losses after 8 weeks. Filamentous microfungi have considerable potential to decompose a variety of carbon substrates of bryophilous residues in peatlands.