Panel 3: living fungal mass

We measured living fungal mass as ergosterol content of standing-decaying leaves of smooth cordgrass seasonally over a 3-y period, in 3 different saltmarsh watersheds and 3 marsh elevations in each watershed near Stations 6 and 10 of the new Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER. We found little or no difference in fungal content of decaying leaves from year to year. The greatest differences among fungal contents were found among seasons (ANOVA, p < 0.05), surprisingly, with lowest content in summer, rising through the winter to highest content in spring. Longer tidal submergence in summer/autumn may be the key factor, leading to greater access of mycophagous invertebrates.

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