Determination the myxobiota of Kemalpaşa and surrounding (İzmir)

Myxomycetes or plasmodial slime-moulds include many species (about 958 recognized, reported 232 in Turkey), and they are protists very common in terrestrial environment, especially on litter and decaying plant materials. They have a complex life cycle, as they form amoebae or flagellates and macroscopic fruiting bodies highly variable in shape and color. Myxomycetes are ideal organisms for bioremediation, food, population dynamics studies in terrestrial habitats, cytological and cancer research and also other biotechnological applications. This thesis assessed the occurrence and distribution of myxomycetes, and it was carried out in the selected surrounding areas of Kemalpaşa, (İzmir) between October 2013 and July 2014. A total of 91 specimens in 11 localities were collected in Quercus sp. and Pinus sp. plants were the most common type of substrate investigated, but leaf litter, dead barks of living trees and soil materials were also included in the survey. Myxomycetes were determined and characterized both on natural substrates and in the moist chambers for each of the study sites. Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and light intensity were analyzed with real time and occurrence of some species was discussed. The obtained results showed that a total of 30 taxa representing 29 species (7 species naturally) with 1 genus belonging to 10 families were identified. Most of the species collected from prepared moist chambers (77%) and others from naturel (23%) resulted in 16 genera including Ceratiomyxa, Echinostelium, Cribraria, Lycogala, Licea, Arcyria, Perichaena, Trichia, Didymium, Physarum, Collaria, Comatricha, Enerthenema, Macbrideola, Stemonitis and Stemonitopsis. A comparison of the distribution of myxomycete showed similarities in this area and many species were reported as cosmopolite. Arcyria cinerea was the most wide spread species in the research area.