Extracellular Enzyme Production and Wood Degradation by Freshwater Lignicolous Fungi

In terrestrial habitats, fungi, especially white- and brown-rot fungi, are important decomposers of wood. It is not known, however, whether fungi play a comparable role in freshwater systems. Although numerous fungal species have been reported from submerged wood, little is known about their degradative activities. This study was undertaken to determine for selected species of freshwater wood-inhabiting ascomycetes, hyphomycetes and an oomycete: (1) the range of plant components that they are able to hydrolyze; (2) whether they are able to degrade cell walls of woody tissue; (3) the extent to which they degrade specific wood components such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin; and (4) the effect of wood type on their degradation activities.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Plant Biology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Zare-Maivan, Hassan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Shearer, Carol Anne

• Biology, Botany
• Biology, Ecology

Identifier

(UMI)AAI8803245

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/71288