Abstract
This study investigated the in situ productionof fungal biomass on presterilized woody substratessubmerged in natural estuarine and freshwater bodiesenriched with nitrogen and phosphorus-containingchemical compounds. Results suggest that themembrane-bound sterol ergosterol may hold significantpromise as an quantitative indicator of fungalresponse to water quality. We suggest that realisticassessment of the environmental health of naturalwaters should include a suite of bioassays that couldmeasure the response of living organisms to pollutionmuch more directly than could be predicted by current,indirect monitoring techniques.
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Padgett, D.E., Mallin, M.A. & Cahoon, L.B. Evaluating the Use of Ergosterol as a Bioindicator for Assessing Fungal Response to Water Quality. Environ Monit Assess 65, 547–558 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006331000010
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006331000010