Biodeterioration of woods by marine fungi and Chaetomium globosum in response to an external nitrogen source

The effect of different nitrogen sources on decay of beech and Scots pine by the marine fungi Monodictys pelagica and Zalerion maritimum and by Chaetomium globosum was studied using vermiculite burial and wood block weight loss estimation techniques. The addition of a nitrogen source significantly increased decay of beech by C. globosum and M. pelagica; the highest weight losses of beech were produced by C. globosum (28·3%) and M. pelagica (28·2%) with potassium nitrate. Generally the addition of a nitrogen source did not significantly increase the decay of Scots pine by the three fungi. Zalerion maritimum produced negligible (<4%) weight losses of both woods in all media.