Marine fungi play a major role in marine and mangrove ecosystems. Understanding how higher fungi with their spectrum of cellulolytic and ligninolytic enzymes degrade wood tissue, while labyrinthuloids and thraustochytrids further contribute to the dissolved organic matter entering the open ocean is essential to marine ecology. This work provides an overview of marine fungi including morphology and ultrastructure, phylogeny, biogeography and biodiversity. Increasingly, biotechnology is also turning to these organisms to develop new bioactive compounds and to address problems such as decomposition of materials in the ocean and bioremediation of oil spills. These potential applications of marine fungi are also treated. In the light of massive marine oil spills in the past years, the importance of understanding marine fungi and their role in the food chain cannot be underestimated.

This book offers an ecosystem-oriented overview of the diversity, ecological role, and biotechnological applications of marine fungi as well as an in-depth introduction to the marine environment, fungal classification, and ecological principles. It also presents the latest research findings on coastal marine and oceanic ecosystems, such as mangrove, seagrass, salt marsh, algal, coral reef and benthic ecosystems. Focusing on the diversity of fungi as well as their role as symbionts, parasites and saprotrophs, the book also discusses the physiology and biotechnological applications of fungi and highlights topics of future interest. Intended for students and researchers in marine biology and microbiology, it includes detailed descriptions, illustrations, figures, tables, and exhaustive literature citations. A detailed chapter on methods used to study marine fungi, their classification and ecological principles is of particular interest to newcomers in the field.

Marine Mycology: The Higher Fungi deals with the higher marine fungi, i.e., Ascomycotina, Basidiomycotina, and Deuteromycotina. This book combines features of a monograph with those of a text. It includes sections on ecological groups of fungi and other topics, such as phylogeny, ontogeny, physiology, and vertical and geographical distribution, providing information on known facts and open questions. The taxonomic-descriptive part contains complete descriptions of each genus and species, together with substrates, range, etymology of generic and specific names, and literature. There are keys for all species within a given genus, and a general illustrated key leads to the individual species. The taxonomic section is based on examinations of almost all of the filamentous marine fungi, and unpublished data on new hosts and geographical distributions are included for many species. The filamentous higher marine fungi are represented by 149 Ascomycetes, 4 Basidiomycetes, and 56 Deuteromycetes. The majority, namely 191 (91%) of the filamentous fungi, are obligately marine species, whereas the remainder are facultatively marine. One new species and seven new combinations are proposed. The yeasts are treated in a separate chapter and comprise 177 species or varieties.

This definitive account of the biology of both lower and higher marine and estuarine fungi reflects the recent growth of interest in these fascinating plants. The four main themes - ecology, taxonomy, physiology and industrial and applied biotechnology - are each covered by contributors of international repute.

The diversity, ecological role and biotechnological applications of marine fungi have been addressed in numerous scientific publications in the last few years. This enormous spurt of information has led to a dire need among students and professionals alike for a source, which contains comprehensive reviews of various aspects of marine fungi. This book addresses this need, especially since it is written by reputed marine mycologists. The latest information on topics including molecular taxonomy and phylogeny, ecology of fungi in different marine habitats such as deep sea, corals, dead- sea, fungi in extreme marine environments and their biotechnological applications is reviewed. The book presents a comprehensive source of information and analysis aimed at marine fungi for researchers, teachers and students of marine mycology.

Fungi play vital roles in all ecosystems, as decomposers, symbionts of animals and plants and as parasites. Thus their ecology is of great interest. It has been estimated that there may be as many as 1. 5 million species of fungi, many of which are still undescribed. These interact in various ways with their hosts, with their substrates, with their competitors (including other fungi) and with abiotic variables of their environment. They show great variation in morphology, reproduction, life cycles and modes of dispersal. They grow in almost every conceivable habitat where organic carbon is available: on rock surfaces, in soil, the sea and in fresh water, at extremes of high and low temperature, on dry substrata and in concen trated solutions. Fungal ecology is therefore an enormous subject and its literature is voluminous. In view of this we have had to be selective in the material we have included in this book. We have chosen to concentrate on subjects in which we have some personal experience through either research or teaching. We preferred to tackle a few subjects in depth instead of attempting to cover a wider range of topics superficially. We are conscious of the extensive gaps in coverage: for example on the ecology of lichens, of fungal plant pathogens and of the complex interactions between fungi and animals. It is some justification that book-length treatments of these subjects are available elsewhere.

Straminipilous Fungi presents a critical comparative review of the morphology and ultrastructure, morphogenesis, cytology, molecular biology and evolution of the biflagellate fungi. These organisms encompass the fungi formerly called oomycetes; taxonomically related heterotrophs studied by mycologists; plasmodiophorids and other heterotrophs. Appropriate comparisons are made with chromophyte algae, marine heterotrophs and chytridiaceous fungi. Little-known taxa which have been referred to the various orders of flagellate fungi are also listed together with citations. A new hierarchical classification is presented which is supported by systematic accounts and synoptic keys. Dichotomous keys based on habitat and habit are given to all known species of lagenidiaceous fungi, labyrinthulids and plasmodiophorids. A unique `one stop' reference resource for plant pathologists is provided by the binominal lists, including host-related lists for the downy mildews. The book, including ca 4000 references, is a major text for post-graduate and research workers, particularly freshwater and marine biologists, soil ecologists and plant pathologists.