UCB Moorea Class: Biology and Geomorphology of Tropical Islands

Epifoliar fungi are understudied, despite high prevalence across plant tissue. In this study, conducted on the island of Mo’orea, French Polynesia, an epifoliar fungus found on a high diversity of native leaves was identified and characterized. The rate of development was tracked and the characteristics of colonization were determined on mangrove ferns. Environmental conditions did not affect distribution, but did affect the growth rate of the fungal fruiting body. Host distribution was also surveyed and the fungi primarily occurred on naturalized plants. The potential use of this fungus as a bioindicator of plant and habitat health will be discussed.