Future: Climate Change

Due to increasing anthropogenic activity, especially since the industrial era in 1750, the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ and greenhouse gases have led to global warming and ocean acidification. However, experimental studies show that the fungi can survive and thrive over a wider pH range from 4.0 to 8.3. Hence, acidification of soil and water may not pose a threat. However, > 96% fungi propagate clonal and sexual spores by air. Being large thick walled and resistant to desiccation, aeospores and telial spores are safe. But others encounter the threat. Their response to elevated temperature varies and some have gone for adaptation. Mycorrhizas increase host plant tolerance to abiotic stress associated with temperature and precipitation shift, which should reduce the plant extinction risk. However, the pathogenic fungi, whose life cycle involves two hosts may suffer greatly. Nevertheless, there are fungi that can tolerate high temperature in deserts and those optimally excrete digestive enzymes at 50°-70°C, which may increasingly diversify and occupy the vacuum created by extinct fungi. These are the Green Shoots and New Hopes, with which the mother earth may continue with burgeoning life forms, hopefully inclusive of humans.