• Chandini KC

Mountains are the hotspots of biodiversity with their isolated position and altitudinal belts. Their flora and fauna have been observed worldwide but the microbial groups have not attracted any attention as yet and focus on such ecosystem studies is urgently needed along altitudinal gradients because of limited information. Although many fungi were reported from Western Ghats but no significant studies on the role of environmental gradient on soil micro fungal diversity was carried out till date in Seethalayanagiri (1,524 m / 5,000 ft) hills is located at 13°23′26″N 75°43′18″E in the Chandra Dhrona Hill Ranges of Chikkamagalur, Karnataka one of the biodiversity hot spot of Western Ghats. So in the present study, an attempt has been made to investigate soil micro fungal community to assess if altitude, temperature and soil physico-chemical factors have any impact on the diversity of fungi from Octo 2015 – Dec 2015. Six Soil samples were collected out at the depth of 0 – 15 cm by random sampling technique in each study sites. The soil fungi were enumerated by using serial dilution method on PDA and CZA medium supplemented with tetracycline/Streptomycin. A total of 19 genera and 42 species with classes Deuteromycetes (50%) with highest percentage followed by Ascomycetes (23.8%) and Zygomycotina (21.4%) were recorded in the study site. Our results indicates that altitudinal gradient ,soil temperature, soil pH , soil moisture , vegetation along with other physicochemical factors that influence the soil fungal assemblage in the study area.

Altitude, Latitude, Diversity, Soil fungi, Hills.

"SOIL FUNGAL DIVERSITY IN SEETHALAYANAGIRI HILLS OF CHIKKAMAGALURU, KARNATAKA.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.3, Issue 1, page no.149-153, January-2016, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1701721.pdf

"SOIL FUNGAL DIVERSITY IN SEETHALAYANAGIRI HILLS OF CHIKKAMAGALURU, KARNATAKA.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.3, Issue 1, page no. pp149-153, January-2016, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1701721.pdf