https://asianjournalofmycology.org/pdf/AJOM_5_1_10-1.pdf

The present paper aims at studying the diversity of phyllospheric, rhizospheric soil and aquatic microfungal flora of Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) and its 10% peripheral area with statistical analysis of the diversity data to draw inferences about microfungal diversity. For analysis, the study area was divided into five zones, defined over a span of three ranges and a 10% peripheral area. Standard methods and keys were followed for the isolation and identification of fungi from different substrates, with routine microscopic work supplemented by scanning electron microscopy and molecular methods for some novel fungi. A total of 334 isolates obtained included 186 litter fungi (55.69%), 77 soil fungi (23.05%), 43 foliicolous fungi (12.87%), and 28 water fungi (8.38%). A total of 231 species in 121 genera were documented, of which 120 genera belong to Ascomycota and one to Basidiomycota. The study resulted in the publication of three new species, 13 new records for India, and two new records for Maharashtra. Aspergillus was dominant with 23 species, followed by Diatrype and Meliola (eight species each). In statistical analysis, we first examine differences in observed species richness across the zones using dummy variable regression and Kruskal-Wallis Test, with species count as the dependent variable. Both yielded similar statistically significant (p-value<0.01) differences in mean and median species counts, respectively. Dissimilarity in species composition, analysed by pairwise Jaccard Dissimilarity Index, was above 82% in all cases, with only one species common in all the zones. In diversity indices, Gini-Simpson’s was above 0.9 for all the zones, and Shannon’s was maximum (=4.4118) for Yeoor [South] and minimum (=2.7185) for Peripheral areas. Pielou’s evenness index was maximum (=0.9954) for Krishnagiri range and minimum (=0.9539) for Yeoor [South]. True diversity (based on Shannon’s Index) was highest (=82) for Yeoor [South] and lowest (=15) for Peripheral. Thus, based on systematics and statistical analysis, it can be concluded that SGNP exhibits a very rich diversity of microfungi.