Microfungi, algae and cyanobacteria in soils polluted with fluorine (Kola Peninsula, Russia)

Abstract

The analysis of algal-mycological complexes in Albic Podzolic soils affected by emissions of the Kandalaksha Aluminum Smelter (KAS) was carried out. The number and biomass of microscopic fungi in the maximum fluorine-polluted zone (fluorine-content >1000 mg/kg) more than 2 times lower than in distanced areas and amounted to 17.3 thousants colony-forming units/g and 1.33 mg/g respectively. Altogether, 31 species of soil fungi were isolated. The species Penicillium trzebinskii and P. miczynskii dominated the zone of maximum pollution. P. glabrum , P. spinulosum , and Memnoniella echinata prevailed in the zones of moderate pollution and background. The part of opportunistic fungi in contaminated soil increased in comparison with the background soil. The reduction of dark-colored fungi biomass in contaminated soil was noted. In total, 56 species of eukaryotic algae and 7 species of cyanobacteria were found. Among green algae, the species from families Chlorophyceae and Trebouxiophyceae dominated in all plots. In the zones of maximum and strong contamination, 53 algae species were found including xanthophytes, which were absent in unpolluted areas. The number of viable cells in the litter of the maximum contaminated soils varied from 100 thousand to 1.5 million in 1 g of absolutely dry soil. The species composition of algae and cyanobacteria in these soils showed the characteristic features of the Arctic biological soil crusts.