Effects of Acetochlor and Methamidophos on Fungal Communities in Black Soils

Using plate counting and ergosterol assay, single and joint effects of acetochlor and methamidophos on the dynamicsof soil fungal population and total fungal biomass in the black soil zone of Northeast China were investigated. The resultsdemonstrated that acetochlor at high concentration levels (150 and 250 mg kg-1) had an acute and mostly chronic toxicityon both the soil fungal population and total fungal biomass, but at a low concentration (50 mg kg-1) generally had astimulating effect that was stronger with total fungal biomass than with the soil fungal population. Methamidophos ata high concentration level (250 mg kg-1) alone and almost all of its combinations with various dosages of acetochlorincreased the soil fungal population, whereas at most sampling dates with 250 mg methamidophos kg-1 soil, total fungalbiomass increased, but in combination with acetochlor it was decreased in the early period of incubation and then increased28 days after incubation. Thus, through measuring the number of colony forming unit of the soil fungal population alongwith the total fungal biomass, a better understanding on effects of agrochemicals on soil fungi could be made.