Aquatic fungi are microorganisms that play a key role in the ecological balance of rivers. They help decompose organic matter, degrade contaminants and are part of the nutrient and energy cycle in freshwater ecosystems. Despite their ecological importance, a study published in the journal Freshwater Biology now warns that the biodiversity and biological functions of these microorganisms in these natural environments are at risk due to rising temperatures, prolonged dry periods and the loss of riparian vegetation caused by climate change.
The study is led by the University of Barcelona and the Global Change Research Institute at the Rey Juan Carlos University (IICG-URJC). The study reviews how aquatic fungi and the functions they perform respond to human activity, with the aim of better understanding the functioning of riverine ecosystems and improving their management.
"The loss of riparian forest has negative effects on fungi, as it increases sunlight exposure and temperature on the riverbed," says Aida Viza, researcher at the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences of the UB's Faculty of Biology at and of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at the RPTU University Kaiserslautern‑Landau (Germany).
"However, contrary to our expectations, the increase in chemical compounds such as nitrate and phosphate, associated with agriculture and/or urban impacts, had almost no influence on the biodiversity or functions of aquatic fungi. This may be because Iberian rivers have a large supply of nutrients and fungi do not require large amounts to carry out their functions," the researcher notes.
