Yeasts in Marine Environments 



333 



100 



DEPTH 



^^ 20 



METERS '^^^ 



300 



400 



500 



VIABLE CELLS PER LITER 

 500 1000 1500 



2000 



Fig. I 



Vertical distribution of yeasts in The Gulf Stream near Cat Cay, Baliamas 



Vig. 1. Vertical distribution of yeasts in The Gulf Stream near Cat Cay, 



Bahamas. 



that some isolates from estuarian waters (i.e., C. twpicalis, C. 

 parapsilosis, C. knisei, C. guilliermondii, and T. cutaneum) are 

 often found associated with terrestrial substrates such as soils, 

 vegetation and may be cultured from man (4) and other warm 

 blooded animals ( 17 ) . This suggests that these species constitute 

 pollution organisms when found in the sea. In evidence of this, 

 these species were obtained in highest quantity ( to 5,000 cells per 

 hter) in the vicinity of areas of heaviest pollution such as the 

 mouth of the Miami River, a zone of admixture of estuarian and 

 river waters. In contrast, species abundant in sea water and not 

 associated with the gastro-intestinal tract of animals, as RJiodoto- 

 ruJa mucilaginosa and R. glutinis, failed to show quantitative 

 increase in pollution areas. It should also be noted that C. tropi- 

 calis, C. krusei, and T. cutaneum were not obtained in pollution- 

 free areas of the Pacific (unpublished data of van Uden and 

 Castelo Branco) or the Gulf Stream. As a further index to the 

 effects of contamination, a semi-enclosed artificial lagoon used 

 for bathing was periodically examined for yeasts known to be 

 associated with human intestinal contents, skin, and body ori- 

 ficies. Total yeast counts ranged from to 320 viable cells per liter 



