Alkali-Resistant Filamentous Fungi of the Coastal Zone of the Dauria Saline Lakes.

The study of alkali-resistant fungi has been carried out for the first time on the coast of saline lakes in the south of the Trans-Baikal region on the territory of the Daursky Biosphere Reserve (lakes Zun-Torey and Khangei). The changes in the structure of the community of alkali-resistant ascomycetes depend on local conditions. The coast of Khangei is devoid of halophites, but has a high content of Artemia eggs and is characterized by the absolute dominance of the alkaliphilic ascomycete Sodiomyces alkalinus (100% occurrence) and Emericellopsis alkalina (80%), with a minimum diversity of other fungi. S. alkalinus predominates (100%) on the coast of Lake Zun-Torey in damp places without plants. Dark-colored fungi from Dothideomycetes (Alternaria, Neocamarosporium, etc.) predominate in the alkaline soil samples of this lake not far from the halophites; the occurrence of E. alkalina is 60% and S. alkalinus is not found here, but high occurrence is shown for the other species of Plectosphaerellaceae (Chordomyces and Gibellulopsis). The distribution, substrate preferences, and functional roles of alkaliphilic and alkalitolerant fungi in extreme natural habitats with soda salinity are discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]