Decomposition of introduced and natural materials in the Vestfold Hills, and introduced and indigenous Microorganisms

T. microsporus was also widespread particularly at sites frequented by birds and seals. Phialophora fastigiata was common around the stations, especially Davis Station, in soils including those contaminated with oil and in wood, and is thought to have been introduced with softwood packing crates. A greater range of taxa including Mortierella, Mucor, Penicillium and Cladosporium spp. was recorded from Mawson Station than from other sites, and this was attributed to the effects of human activity, Few fungi but a range of bacteria were isolated from the petroleum contaminated soils.

A high percentage of these soils contained bacteria which could utilise hydrocarbons as a sole carbon source. Some of these bacteria showed a strong degradative potential, namely Flavobacterium spp., Corynebacterium spp., Bacterillus spp., and an isolate from the family Enterobacteriaceae. One isolate of Corynebacterium and the Enterobacteriaceae isolate were active hydrocarbon degraders at 1 degree C. Hormoconis resinae, the imperfect state of Amorphotheca resinae was only isolated from oil spill soils and then only from sites of recent spills.

Geomyces pannorum and Thelebolus microsporus were less common in oil contaminated soils than in uncontaminated soils.