Fungal biomass in saltmarsh grass blades at two contaminated sites

Ascomycetous fungi are the principal drivers of the decomposition of shoots of smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora). Shoots of smooth cordgrass move into the saltmarsh food web via the decomposition system. Therefore, influences on saltmarsh ascomycetes by pollutants of saltmarshes could have far-reaching impacts. Earlier examination of impacts of severe contamination of a Georgia saltmarsh by mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) revealed little or no influence of the toxicants on living standing crops or sexual productivities of cordgrass ascomycetes. Extension of the examination of saltmarsh-ascomycete response to sites containing other toxic pollutants (the chlorinated organocyclic insecticide toxaphene; chromium, copper, and lead; and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs]) has shown that none of the additional toxicants engendered saltmarsh-fungal responses in the form of reduced living standing crops or sexual productivities. Thus the ascomycetes of the cordgrass-decay system appear to be as resistant to anthropogenic-pollutant poisoning as smooth cordgrass itself. Unless the fungal and plant resistance mechanisms involve degradation of the toxicants, this may imply that saltmarshes are especially dangerous as receiving sites for toxic waste because they may have the potential to readily move toxicants into the food web.