THE IMPACT OF OIL AND OIL DISPERSANT MIXTURES ON FUNGI IN FRESH-WATER PONDS

The impact of oil and oil-dispersant mixtures on the mycoflora of a freshwater ecosystem was assessed using man made ponds. Data indicated that the ponds were well stablized before pond treatment. Sufficient Norman Wells crude oil to give 100 ppm was added to each treated pond. After pond treatment, an immediate increase occurred in the number of geoaquatic fungi in the oil-treated pond whereas an increase, followed by a sharp decrease, which was in turn followed by a recovery occurred in the oil-dispersant-treated ponds. No clear cut medium or long term geoaquatic fungal enhancement effects were observed. The pond treatments has no detectable effect on the vertical distribution of fungi in the ponds. No significant treatment effects were observed in the water mold levels in the treated ponds. No obvious treatment effect was observed on the percentage of viable fungi capable of growth on non-degraded or biodegraded oil as a sole carbon source.