Epiphyllous Microorganisms as Palaeoclimate Estimators: The Developmental Sequence of Fungal 'Germlings' on their Living Host

Abstract

It is known that epiphyllous microorganisms have the potential to provide important information about palaeoclimates and palaeohabitats. Previous studies have shown one of the major candidates, fungal 'germlings', to be possibly climatically sensitive. In this study we demonstrate that at least two organisms are present as germlings, one an epiphyte and the other a saprophyte. While there is some evidence to support the hypothesis that grades of germlings represent a sequence of developmental steps, most data either refute this hypothesis or neither refute nor support it. We show that grade 1 and 2 germlings are unlikely to be reliable for predictive purposes, since their presence is not consistent among host species, and they may represent saprophytes as well as epiphytes. The ecology and life history of germlings is complex, and more data are required on these factors before they can be used for predictive purposes.