Isolation of Fungi from Various Habitats and their Possible Bioremediation

Abstract

Fungi are the most diverse and adaptable group of living organisms. The literature highlights that colonization density and fungal diversity can be affected by factors such as salinity, pH, temperature, altitude and availability of nutrients. The present article discusses isolation and characterization of fungi from different ecosystems like forests, mangroves and coastal areas. Fungal interaction with ecosystems is reported to play an important role in the biodiversity, survivability, propagation and productivity of plants. Fungi have established a beneficial association with numerous hosts and have the capability to degrade environmental pollutants such as hydrocarbons and by-products. Hence, fungi and fungal products like extracellular hydrolytic and lignin-degrading enzymes, and surfactants offer eco-friendly and cost-effective strategies to address pollution, especially with respect to bioremediation of oil spills and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.