Temporal variations in fungal spores in Mardin city atmosphere, upper Mesopotamia, SE-Turkey

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the fungal spores and their concentrations in the atmosphere of Mardin (southeast Turkey) in 2014 and 2015 using the volumetric method. A total of 43 taxa, hyphal fragments, and single septate ascospores were identified by light microscopy. It was determined that the dominant fungal spores included Cladosporium (51.5%), Ustilaginales species spores (13.9%), Alternaria (6.9%), Pucciniales species spores (1.6%), Agrocybe (1.2%), Pleospora (1.1%) and hyphal fragments (15.5%). The highest atmospheric spore concentrations were observed in May and the lowest levels were determined in February in both years. Dry air spores constituted a significant ratio of the total count (73.9%) in the atmosphere of Mardin. There were significant positive correlations between atmospheric concentrations of Alternaria, Cladosporium, Ustilaginales, and Pucciniales spores and temperatures. There were significant negative correlations between airborne fungal spore concentrations and daily mean humidity. There was a significant negative correlation between Agrocybe spore concentrations and daily mean temperature and a significant positive correlation between the same and humidity and precipitation. No significant correlation was determined between the meteorological variables and Pleospora and Aspergillus/Penicillium spore concentrations.