ECOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TILE SYMBIOSIS OF TER ITOMYCES ...

0., '. 1 atmospheres
(Swift, Heal and AxWer3on 1979)- In general wood
inhabiting Basidiomycetes show a for greater tolerance to car-bon
dioxide than litter decomposing species*
Antibiotic rj: 2ductian Termit=ceno Grassle (1944)-
ouggested this ray affect the Orowth and germination of other fUnals
And Heim (1952a) mentions antagonism between TermitoeXces and Xylaria
myceliums. The presence of actively Groving TormitoMIcPA was shown to
slightly retard the development of XXIaria (5,4,1) so this may be a
factor in keeping down growth of this fungus in the comb. Howeverj
Termitomyces has neyer been observed to bavo an antagonistic effect
on any of the other fungi cocmnly found in the nest, and Is readily
and rapidly overgrown by them in culture,
(6) ChkNTi1cAl. S_C=sit1On of the conbe This was suggested by
Grasse in 19", The chemical asPectis Of the fungus comb will be
discussed in Ch- 7- 9 but certainly tile pli and etineral content of the
comb would not change on removal from the nost. The only factors of
the comb chemistry preventing growth of other fungi could be volatile
substances related to (2)l inhibitions by termite secretions, and
(3), Inhibition by substances In the Cutj which would be continually
replaced by the termites activities on the comb*
a. 267-