Oral Presentation Society for Freshwater Science 2025 Annual Meeting

Phosphorus Uptake and Storage by Aquatic Hyphomycete Fungi. (118983)

Lydia P McGregor Bravo 1 , Steve A Thomas 2 , Kevin A Kuehn 3 , Colin R Jackson 4 , Jonathan P Benstead 2
  1. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
  2. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
  3. The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
  4. The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, United States

Leaf litter and its associated microorganisms play a key role in phosphorus (P) uptake in streams. However, the response of aquatic hyphomycete fungi, the dominant litter decomposers in forest streams, to elevated concentrations of dissolved P remains unclear. Whole-stream nutrient addition experiments at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory suggest that as the litter P content increases, fungal biomass also increases but at a slower rate, potentially indicating ‘luxury’ storage of P. To investigate this, we conducted short-term P-enrichment experiments to assess how dissolved P concentrations in the water column influence the biomass and P content of litter-associated fungi. Leaf litter of two species, fast-decomposing tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and slow-decomposing white oak (Quercus alba), was incubated in a second-order stream and underwent short-term P enrichment at three stages of the decay process: early (day 50), middle (day 100), and late decay (day 150). Phosphorus additions were conducted at each decomposition stage by enriching stream water P concentration to 200 ug/L for one-week. During each P addition, litter samples were collected after 0, 4, 8, 24, 72, and 168 hours after P enrichment started. Litter samples were analyzed for P content, fungal biomass (measured as ergosterol), and phosphatase activity. Fungal biomass did not increase proportionally with increased litter P content, suggesting either luxury storage of P or shifts in fungal community composition toward more P-rich taxa. To further explore this, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is being used to identify P-containing compounds, particularly polyphosphate, the primary storage form of P in fungi. Additionally, ITS sequencing will detect potential shifts in community structure during each P addition.