Spatiotemporal diversity of filamentous fungi in the hypersaline Dead Sea

To investigate the spatial and temporal diversity in the fungal community o f the Dead Sea, we collected Dead Sea water samples at eight near-shore loc alities and at different stations offshore over a 1-year period (1999-2000) . In addition, depth profiles were sampled at a deep station (304 m) in the centre of the sea. In the course of the study we obtained 476 isolates, co mprising 38 species from 19 genera of Oomycota (1), Zygomycota (2), Ascomyc ota (13). and mitosporic fungi (3). This brings the total number of species recovered from the Dead Sea to 55. Approximately 43% of the isolates belon ged to the genera Aspergillus and Eurotium. Most of the species found appea red only in winter. Fungal diversity increased near the outlets of less sal ine springs near the shore. The species Aspergillus terreus, A. sydowii. A. versicolor, Eurotium herbariorum, Penicillium westlingii, Cladosporium cla dosporoides and C. sphaerospermum were isolated consistently and probably f orm a stable core of the community. The results suggest that a remarkably d iverse fungal diversity may be found in the hypersaline Dead Sea waters. To what extent the fungal diversity recovered was present as dormant spores o r as vegetative mycelia remains to be determined.