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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Fungi in Freshwaters: Prioritising Aquatic Hyphomycetes in Conservation Goals
ClearAquatic fungi: largely neglected targets for conservation
This paper argues that aquatic fungi are vastly understudied and underprotected, despite playing critical roles in decomposition, nutrient cycling, and food webs in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Aquatic fungi may be vulnerable to plastic pollution and other anthropogenic stressors but are not targeted by most conservation policies. Greater research attention and conservation action are needed for this largely neglected group.
Microplastic effects in aquatic ecosystems with special reference to fungi–zooplankton interaction: identification of knowledge gaps and prioritization of research needs
This review identifies a largely unexplored gap in microplastic research: how plastic pollution affects aquatic fungi and their interactions with zooplankton. Because fungi play critical roles in breaking down dead organic matter and serving as food for zooplankton, disruptions caused by microplastics — which can physically resemble fungal spores in size — could have cascading effects on freshwater food webs and nutrient cycling. The authors call for targeted experiments to fill this knowledge gap and better predict ecosystem-level impacts of microplastic contamination.
Aquatic yeasts: diversity, characteristics and potential health implications
This review examined the diversity, characteristics, and potential health implications of aquatic yeasts, highlighting that some species isolated from water environments are known pathogens or carry antifungal resistance traits, and arguing that current water quality standards using only bacteria as indicators may be insufficient.
Microplastics alter composition of fungal communities in aquatic ecosystems
This study examined how microplastics affect fungal communities in rivers, the Baltic Sea, and a wastewater treatment plant, finding that plastics altered fungal diversity and community composition. The results suggest microplastics can disrupt aquatic fungal ecology, with potential downstream effects on nutrient cycling and ecosystem function.
Fungal Diversity in Two Wastewater Treatment Plants in North Italy
Researchers characterized fungal diversity in two wastewater treatment plants in northern Italy, finding diverse communities including molds and yeasts whose composition varied with treatment stage and influent quality, suggesting fungi may play underappreciated roles in contaminant removal including potential interactions with microplastics.
Association of Fungi in the Intestine of Black Carp and Grass Carp Compared with their Cultured Water
Researchers characterized and compared the intestinal fungal communities of grass carp and black carp and their cultured water using high-throughput sequencing, finding species-specific differences in gut fungal composition that correlated partially with surrounding water microbiota.
Unveiling Fungal Proficiency in Microplastic Degradation: A Comprehensive Research Investigation
Researchers isolated fungal genera from the Tigris River capable of degrading microplastics in both natural and artificial media, investigating their enzymatic mechanisms and evaluating their proficiency in breaking down MP polymers in freshwater and wastewater environments.
Fungal Degradation of Microplastics—An Environmental Need
This review highlights fungi as an underexplored but promising tool for breaking down microplastics in the environment, noting that fungal enzymes can degrade plastics that bacteria struggle with. As conventional physical and chemical methods fall short of addressing the scale of microplastic pollution, fungal biodegradation could offer a practical, scalable complement to existing cleanup strategies.
Fungal Bioremediation: A Sustainable Strategy for Microplastic Removal from Polluted Water
This review covers fungal bioremediation of microplastic pollution in water, examining how various fungal species degrade plastic polymers, the mechanisms involved (enzymatic oxidation, biofilm formation), and the feasibility of scaling these biological approaches for water treatment applications.
The fascinating world of marine fungi: Emergence of a new research field
This paper is not about microplastics; it is a popular science feature about the emerging research field of marine fungi, describing deep-sea fungal species found on submerged wood and their role in ocean ecosystems.
Perspectives and pitfalls in preserving subterranean biodiversity through protected areas
Researchers examine why standard land-based nature reserves often fail to protect the unique species living in caves, underground streams, and other subterranean ecosystems, which are threatened by groundwater extraction, pollution, and land-use change. The authors argue that dedicated protections for underground habitats are urgently needed, especially given the high endemism — species found nowhere else on Earth — in these environments.
The Role of Marine Fungi in Degradation of Microplastic and Plastics – a Review
This review examines the role of marine fungi in the biodegradation of microplastics and bulk plastics, synthesising literature on over 400 known plastic-degrading microorganism species and highlighting the most significant fungal groups capable of decomposing plastic materials in marine environments.
Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem
This study presents a global analysis showing that groundwater is a foundational ecosystem that supports over half of the world's land surface areas, yet it remains largely overlooked in conservation efforts. Researchers argue that groundwater should be recognized as a keystone ecosystem because its health directly influences rivers, wetlands, and other surface habitats. The findings call for including groundwater in global biodiversity protection frameworks before further depletion and pollution cause irreversible damage.
Planktonic marine fungi: A review
This review summarizes the ecology of planktonic marine fungi, which play important roles as decomposers and parasites in ocean ecosystems. Marine fungi also colonize microplastic particles as part of the plastisphere, where they may contribute to plastic degradation.
Fungi and Oomycetes–Allies in Eliminating Environmental Pathogens
This review examines the roles of fungi and oomycetes as biological control agents capable of eliminating environmental pathogens, parasites, disease-vectoring arthropods, and environmental pollutants including plastics. The authors argue that conserving and exploiting these organisms represents a global necessity for maintaining ecosystem balance and improving quality of life for humans and animals.
Fungal-Based Remediation in the Treatment of Anthropogenic Activities and Pharmaceutical-Pollutant-Contaminated Wastewater
This review examines how fungi can be used to break down pharmaceutical pollutants and personal care product residues in wastewater, which have increased since the global pandemic. Researchers found that various fungal species and their enzymes show promising ability to degrade these chemical contaminants through biological processes. The study suggests that fungal-based remediation could offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly complement to conventional wastewater treatment methods.
Role of Fungi in Biodegradation of Bisphenol A: A Review
This review examined the role of fungi in biodegrading bisphenol A, a widespread endocrine disruptor that leaches from plastics into water sources, highlighting fungal enzymes and degradation pathways as promising approaches for environmental remediation.
Mycorrhizas for a sustainable world
This review synthesizes findings from the 10th International Conference on Mycorrhiza, covering how mycorrhizal fungal associations — present in over 80% of plant species — influence nutrient cycling, ecosystem resilience, and sustainability across scales from individual plants to global ecosystems. The paper highlights research priorities including mycorrhiza-based strategies for sustainable agriculture and restoration.
Current trends, limitations and future research in the fungi?
This broad review of modern mycology (the study of fungi) covers emerging fungal diseases, drug discovery from fungi, genomics advances, and how fungi can be used in construction and circular economies. While not directly about microplastics, some fungi show promise for biodegrading plastic waste, making mycology research relevant to addressing microplastic pollution.
The Culturable Mycobiota of Sediments and Associated Microplastics: From a Harbor to a Marine Protected Area, a Comparative Study
Researchers investigated fungal diversity in sediments and microplastic surfaces at three Mediterranean sites with varying anthropogenic impact -- a harbor, a marine protected area, and an intermediate site -- culturing 1,526 isolates and finding that microplastics harbor distinct fungal assemblages compared to surrounding sediments, with several species recorded for the first time in marine environments.
Plastic pollution and fungal, protozoan, and helminth pathogens – A neglected environmental and public health issue?
This review examines the understudied relationship between plastic pollution and eukaryotic pathogens, including fungi, protozoa, and helminths. Researchers found that while bacterial colonization of the plastisphere is well documented, evidence suggests plastics may also harbor and spread eukaryotic pathogens, raising concerns about a neglected public health and environmental issue.
Mitigación mediante bacterias, hongos y organismos superiores de los impactos ambientales ocasionados por microplásticos en ecosistemas acuáticos
This review examines the mitigation of microplastic impacts in aquatic ecosystems using bacteria, fungi, and higher organisms, analyzing how these biological agents can degrade or remove MP particles and reduce their ecological effects.
Impacts of low concentrations of nanoplastics on leaf litter decomposition and food quality for detritivores in streams
Researchers found that low concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics impaired leaf litter decomposition in forested streams by reducing aquatic hyphomycete fungal activity and decreasing food quality for detritivore invertebrates, threatening stream ecosystem function.
The Potential Role of Marine Fungi in Plastic Degradation – A Review
This review examined the potential role of marine fungi in plastic degradation, highlighting that while terrestrial fungi can metabolize some plastic types, marine fungal-plastic interactions remain largely unexplored despite fungi's known ability to break down recalcitrant compounds.