Aquatic hyphomycetes diversity is higher in environmentally heterogeneous streams.

Energy dynamics of subtropical streams are diverse and depend essentially on the input of allochthonous organic matter, intermediated by decomposers. In these ecosystems, decomposition is carried out mainly by aquatic fungi. Recent studies about this community have focused on phenomena such as surrounding land use of streams and their environmental heterogeneity.

Anthropogenic land uses lead to changes in limnological variables in Neotropical streams.

Streams are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts, such as changes in land use, which reflect on water quality and can be evaluated by abiotic variables. In this context, the aims were to compare the abiotic values recorded in streams of different land use categories with the limits established by National legislation, and to analyze changes in abiotic variables in response to different land use impacts. Thus, 17 streams located in southern Brazil were sampled and grouped into urban, rural, and protected areas (PA) categories.

Warming water and leaf litter quality but not plant origin drive decomposition and fungal diversity in an experiment.

The fungi associated with leaf litter play a key role in decomposition and can be affected both by the warming water and the invasion of non-native species in riparian vegetation. Warming water and invasion of non-native riparian species on stream fungal communities have been studied mainly in temperate ecosystems. We tested the effects of warming water and non-native plant Psidium guajava on leaf litter decomposition, conidia density, species richness and beta diversity of tropical stream fungi.