MORPHOLOGICAL-CHANGES AND THE ASSOCIATED FUNGAL COLONIZATION DURING DECOMPOSITION OF LEAVES OF A MANGROVE, BRUGUIERA-GYMNORRHIZA (RHIZOPHORACEAE)

Leaves of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (L.) Lam. growing at Beachwood Mangrove Nature Reserve (Durban) were removed just prior to leaf fall, placed in mesh litterbags and submerged in the creek of the swamp. At the time of collection the leaves were colonized by phylloplane fungi. The degree of decomposition of leaf material was studied over a period of 18 weeks by means of SEM and LM techniques. After a week's submergence, the leaves appeared to be devoid of phenolic deposits and microbial colonization intensified. SEM studies indicated that fungi may have degraded the cuticular waxes but the cuticle was still intact at the end of the study. Degradation of the internal tissues was shown to be associated with fungal activities.