Biodiversity of intertidal estuarine fungi on Phragmites at Mai Po Marshes, Hong Kong

Abstract

Intertidal decaying stems and leaf sheaths of Phragmites australis were randomly collected and their mycota examined. Sixty one species of fungi were associated with the decaying stems and leaf sheaths, including Antiptodera spp., Lignincola laevis, Phomatospora phragmiticola and ZopfieUa latipes. The following new species are described, Halosarpheia phragmiticola, Massarina phragmiticola, Phomqtospora phragmiticola and Cytoplacosphaeria phragmiticola. The fungal communities associated with decaying Phragmites australis permanently submerged in the gei wai (tidal shrimp farms) differ from those in the intertidal region. The diversity of these fungi are discussed in relation to the biodiversity of fungi in mangrove communities in Hong Kong and with those fungi of other salt marsh communities.