THE INFLUENCE OF ISOPOD GRAZING ON MICROBIAL DYNAMICS IN DECOMPOSING LEAF-LITTER OF ALNUS-NEPALENSIS DON,D

Fungal and bacterial standing crop remained constant in ungrazed micro cosms whereas the fungal standing crop was reduced by all levels of is opod feeding. Bacterial standing crop, however, increased with the num ber of isopods. Observation of the gut contents and faeces of isopods indicated that they actively grazed fungal hyphae and that extensive b acterial growth occurred in the gut. The faeces of isopods contained m ore fungi and bacteria than gut contents and leaf litter. Dilution pla tes showed no significant change in bacterial and fungal counts betwee n the midgut and the hindgut. Higher number of spore-producing fungi d ominated the gut contents rather that either less spore-producing spec ies or sterile mycelia.