Psychrooligotrophic fungi from Arctic soils of Franz Joseph Land

Microfungi isolated from soil samples collected in Franz Joseph Land by mea ns of the soil dilution and soil washing methods were screened for their ab ility to grow at low temperatures. The oligotrophic ability of the psychrot rophic strains was then determined on silica gel. A total of 40 taxa from 2 1 genera were isolated. Most isolates were species of Acremonium, Geomyces, Mortierella, Phialophora, Phoma, Thelebolus and sterile fungi. Eutypella s coparia, Hyphozyma variabilis and Ovadendron sulphureo-ochraceum are new re cords as soil and Arctic fungi. Most fungal isolates were psychrotrophic. T he few psychrooligotrophs were species of Geomyces, Phoma, Thelebolus and M ortierella. Overall, our results suggest that the major component of an Arc tic soil mycoflora should be active in one or more short growing seasons in terspersed with periods of prolonged dormancy. Only a minor component, such as the small group of psychrooligotrophic fungi found in this study, may b e expected to show continuous slow growth.