Alpkit
  • Emerging fungal threats to animal, plant and ecosystem health

    The past two decades have seen an increasing number of virulent infectious diseases in natural populations and managed landscapes.
    In both animals and plants, an unprecedented number of fungal and fungal-like diseases have recently caused some of the most severe die-offs and extinctions ever witnessed in wild species, and are jeopardizing food security. Human activity is intensifying fungal disease dispersal by modifying natural environments and thus creating new opportunities for evolution. We argue that nascent fungal infections will cause increasing attrition of biodiversity, with wider implications for human and ecosystem health, unless steps are taken to tighten biosecurity worldwide.

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    Comments 1 Comment
    1. Andy BB's Avatar
      Andy BB -
      Oh, for heavens sake! For example "recently caused some of the most severe die-offs and extinctions ever witnessed in wild species", and how humans are under threat from it?

      Why do people write such garbage? Have they never heard of the dinosaur extinction? Or the Black Plague? Or the 1918/9 Flu epidemic that killed millions? Where have all the ferns gone that used to cover the Earth?