Reed – periphyton – mycota interactions in the water of different water bodies

The authors investigated the influence of periphyton that abundantly overgrow stalks of reeds (reed-periphyton) submerged in water [Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Stewdel], especially the old ones, on the occurrence of mycoflora species in different trophic seasons in the water of 4 trophically different water bodies. The seeds and snake exuviae were used as bait. In the spring, diatoms were the predominant group of algae forming the periphyton on old reed stalks, green algae predominated in the summer, and cyanobacteria in the autumn. During the seasons studied, in the water from Lake Blizno equal numbers of mycoflora species were noted inside the control containers and in those with reed-periphyton. In water from the other 3 water bodies completely different results were obtained. In the spring and autumn, a smaller number of mycoflora species grew inside the containers with reed-periphyton. However, during the summer the number of mycoflora species was higher in the Biala river water (control) as compared to the containers with reed-periphyton; in the other 2 water bodies the findings were the opposite. As known, all algae, including the periphyton constituents, excrete many different organic substances into the environment. Some of them are a medium for various hydrobionts, while others inhibit the growth of aquatic organisms including mycoflora species.