BIODIVERSITY OF FUNGAL POPULATION IN FOUR DISTINCT REGIONS OF SHIVNATH RIVER.

Shivnath river water was assessed at three sampling stations with study period of April 2013. The present investigation was carried out on diversity of aquatic fungi from Mehmara Station, Chhattagarh Station, Kotni Station, Pulgaon Chowk (Rajanandgaon Road) Station. The soil samples were examined for fungi by plating method culturing in Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and Czapek’s (dox) Agar (CZA) medium .The isolated fungal strains were identified by Lactophenol Cotton Blue staining. During the study, a total of 44 fungal isolated and identified. The higher fungal taxa that occurred in station-II was observed may be due to unpolluted nature of water and less anthropogenic activities was encountered at this station. Station I, III and IV less number of fungal taxa occurred. This was may be due to the polluted nature of the water and increased anthropogenic activities at this station.