health sectionhealth section
Fermentation is the metabolic breakdown of biological chemicals. The process is used to make bread, liquor, beer and wine, as well as ethanol fuel. Yeast, a type of fungus, causes fermentation of the raw materials necessary to produce these things. When discussing fermentation with grade schoolers, explaining the process of fungal fermentation using yeast can be centered around experiments with rising dough.
Many types of fungi exist in nature, and many of them are benign to people and beneficial to their natural environments. However, others produce spores that cause dangerous infections and compromise architecture. Prevention and removal depend on the creation of an inhospitable environment, and taking certain steps inhibits the ability of fungi to grow and thrive.
Fungi must be isolated from the contaminating influence of the wild mixed flora of the fungal habitat. Once separated from other lifeforms that overgrow, weaken, or kill the fungi, it's ready to be grown as pure strains in a controlled laboratory evironment. Some of the competing flora grow faster than the fungi and devour its food supply. The mixed flora, called indigenous microbiota by scientists, include protists, bacteria, other non-desirable species of fungi and yeast.
Black moss fungi is perhaps most well-known as an Asian vegetable. This food source is actually a terrestrial cyanobacteria, which means that it is a blue-green algae that grows in the soil. The popularity of black moss fungi -- also known as fat choy or fatt choy -- as a food source has led to some controversy concerning the environmental effect of its harvesting, as well as possible health concerns.
Lilacs (Syringa spp.) are medium- and large-sized shrubs known for their large blooms of fragrant flowers. They are often bred as hybrids to enhance their health and the aesthetic qualities of their flower and foliage. Lilacs must be monitored for fungal disease regularly to prevent the onset of a serious infection. They are vulnerable to several types of pathogenic fungi that cause a variety of symptoms, some of which can be devastating. However, many common fungal ailments, like most leaf spot diseases, rarely threaten the life of their host plant and are usually manageable.
Soil is a living ecosystem teeming with multitudes of invisible residents. One cup of native soil supports billions of microscopic organisms, says Colorado State University, including bacteria and fungi. These unseen creatures have great influence on plant growth and can be beneficial, neutral or harmful. Identifying soil-supported bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeast considers form and function of the organisms.
Turtles are relatively easy pets to care for. They must be well fed and their surroundings kept clean. A good diet and clean environment go a long way toward preventing illness and disease. However, despite the best of efforts, occasionally a health problem does arise, such as fungi on a turtle. With proper care, fungus on a turtle can be dealt with successfully, and the turtle can be restored to health. Not dealing with fungi on a turtle can result in serious illness, perhaps even death in extreme cases.
Many different human diseases are caused by fungi. These diseases sometimes occur when the immune system is already weakened (opportunistic infections), but they can also occur in people with regularly functioning immune systems. Human infection with fungi may lead to few or no symptoms, but some fungal diseases can lead to serious negative effects, including death.
Fungi cause various diseases of animals as well as human beings. Some of the serious human diseases---for example, diseases of skin, ear, throat and nose as well as bronchial and intestinal disorders---are cause by various groups of fungi.
