Direct-Count Estimates of Fungal and Bacterial Biovolume in Dead Leaves of Smooth Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel)

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Abstract
Two types of hyphal-extraction, direct-count methods of estimating fungal biovalume in standing-dead, autumn leaves of Spartina alterniflora were compared with a clearing+staining method which does not require homogenization. Bacterial biovolume also was estimated, by an acridine-orange direct-count method. Type of homogenization had little effect on measured fungal volume, but counts made using water-soluble-aniline-blue epifluorescence were consistently lower than those made using phase-contrast (by 6–10x). Clearing+staining could not be used to estimate hyphal lengths, but was of use in estimating total ascocarp volume (=0.06 mm3 per mm3 of leaf). Estimated fungal hyphal volume was approximately 0.27 mm3 per mm3 of leaf. Bacterial volume was <3% of fungal volume.