Fungal spores are almost always present in the atmosphere whose composition and concentration is extremely variable. Fungi have developed many different mechanisms of liberating their spores so that they may penetrate laminar boundary layer and reachthe turbulent layer above. Because these mechanisms require different climatic conditions for spore liberation they result in characteristic diurnal periodicities. Thus, numbers and types of spores in air differ with time of day, weather, season, geographical location and the presence of local spore sources, often enhanced by human activity. Airborne fungus spores are responsible for causing infectious diseases, allergic and non-allergic reactions and also contribute to the biodeterioration of manufactured goods and spoilage of stored agricultural produce.
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