Evidence of a competitive hierarchy among coprophilous fungal populations.

Evidence is presented that interference competition may be important in later states of fungal colonization of cattle feces from a semiarid grassland in Colorado. Cultural antagonism was examined among fungal isolates representing early sporulating colonists (Ascobolus furfuraceus and Saccobolus truncatus), later sporulating colonists (Iodophanus carneus, Coniochaeta discospora, Hypocopra merdaria, and Poronia punctata), and one early successional species that is able to persist (sporulate) through later stages (Podospora decipiens). Poronia punctata, a comparatively slower-growing and later-appearing colonist (18- to 54-month-old fecal pats), is uniformly antagonistic to all of seven earlier-appearing and co-occurring fungal species. Antibiosis is believed to account for the observed antagonism. The authors suggest that the evolutionary product of interference competition among coprophilous fungal populations may be a pattern of competitive hierarchy in which certain slower-growing, later-successional species can limit the reproductive potential of other fungal colonists on fecal substrates.