The diversity and succession of microfungi associated with decomposing leaf litter of Anacardium occidentale L. are described from samples collected from a scrub jungle at Adyar, Chennai, at bimonthly intervals between February 2001 and April 2003. To follow fungal colonization patterns, leaf litter samples were collected from three strata representing progressive decomposition stages. The occurrence, distribution, relative frequency and abundance of fungi colonizing the leaf litter of the respective layers were monitored using the moist chamber incubation technique. The study yielded 142 taxa/102 genera and the successional stages among the fungal assemblages were observed during the decomposition. Although several fungal species were common components of the mycoflora of all three layers, each layer had its own characteristic species assemblage and periodicity of sporulation. Beltrania rhombica, Subramaniomyces fusisaprophyticus, Beltraniella portoricensis were the dominant and regular inhabitants throughout the study.

The biodiversity of microfungi associated with decomposing leaf litter of Anacardium occidentale and the pattern of fungal colonization was investigated. Fungi colonizing decomposing litter were induced to sporulate by a moist chamber incubation technique. A total of 77 species belonging to 57 genera were recorded. Depending on the first appearance of the fungi and their persistence, three main groups of fungal colonizers were identified: (1) fungi that occurred initially during early stages of decomposition and disappeared as decomposition progressed; (2) fungi that showed less initial activity but gradually increased their activity and declined in the final stages; (3) fungi that appeared in the late stages of decomposition.