The desert fungi are a variety of terricolous

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

inhabiting the

biological soil crust Biological soil crusts are communities of living organisms on the soil surface in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. They are found throughout the world with varying species composition and cover depending on topography, soil characteristics, climate, ...

of arid regions. Those exposed to the sun typically contain

melanin Melanin (; from el, μέλας, melas, black, dark) is a broad term for a group of natural pigments found in most organisms. Eumelanin is produced through a multistage chemical process known as melanogenesis, where the oxidation of the amino ...

and are resistant to high temperatures, dryness and low nutrition. Species that are common elsewhere (e.g. ''

Penicillium ''Penicillium'' () is a genus of ascomycetous fungi that is part of the mycobiome of many species and is of major importance in the natural environment, in food spoilage, and in food and drug production. Some members of the genus produce pe ...

spp.'' and common soil ''

Aspergillus ' () is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. ''Aspergillus'' was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli. Viewing the fungi under a microscope, Mic ...

spp.'') do not thrive in these conditions. Producing large dark unicellular spores also helps survival. Sexually reproducing ascomycetes, especially

Chaetomium ''Chaetomium'' is a genus of fungi in the Chaetomiaceae family. It is a dematiaceous (dark-walled) mold normally found in soil, air, cellulose and plant debris. According to the ''Dictionary of the Fungi'' (10th edition, 2008), there are about 9 ...

spp.'', have developed resilience by growing thick, dark

perithecia An ascocarp, or ascoma (), is the fruiting body ( sporocarp) of an ascomycete phylum fungus. It consists of very tightly interwoven hyphae and millions of embedded asci, each of which typically contains four to eight ascospores. Ascocarps are mos ...

. Under desert shrubs, however, more sensitive species such as '' Gymnoascus reesii'' prevail.Grishkan, I., E. Zaady & E. Nevo. (2006) "Soil crust microfungi along as southward rainfall gradient in desert ecosystems." ''Eur. J. Soil Biol.'' 42: 33-42.

References

Fungi by adaptation Deserts {{Mycology-stub The Desert fungi adapts to their environment with their morphological features to allow for nutrients and water to enter through their pores. . Not only have desert fungi learned to fend for themselves, they've also became a survival mechanism for the community organisms as well promoting growth and advances.