Yeast interslope divergence in soils and plants of "Evolution Canyon", Lower Nahal Oren, Mount Carmel, Israel

This is the first report on yeast species diversity recorded in Israel at the "Evolution Canyon" microsite in Mount Carmel, Israel, subdivided into a xeric, "African", savanna-like south-facing slope, and a mesic, forested, "European" north-facing slope. A total of 25 species belonging to 14 genera were recorded - 19 species of soil yeasts from 11 genera and 14 species of plant yeasts from 10 genera, including 8 species and 7 genera common to plants and soil. The total number, as well as the total frequency of occurrence of yeast species, was higher on the "European" slope than on the "African" slope in samples from both plants and soil. The basidiomycetous yeast species, Cryptococcus magnus, the ascomycetous species, Debaryomyces hansenii var. hansenii, with its anamorph, Candida famata, and the "black" yeast, Aureobasidium pullulans, were dominant on both slopes and in both plant and soil samples.