Diversity patterns, ecology and biological activities of fungal communities associated with the endemic macroalgae across the Antarctic peninsula.

We surveyed diversity patterns and engaged in bioprospecting for bioactive compounds of fungi associated with the endemic macroalgae, Monostroma hariotii and Pyropia endiviifolia, in Antarctica. A total of 239 fungal isolates were obtained, which were identified to represent 48 taxa and 18 genera using molecular methods. The fungal communities consisted of endemic, indigenous and cold-adapted cosmopolitan taxa, which displayed high diversity and richness, but low dominance indices.