Tournament: Loyola Invitational | Round: 2 | Opponent: La Reina AC | Judge: John Overing
Radiation spurs fungi growth- the aff takes away energy source¶ Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 07¶ The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a part of Montefiore Medical Center, is a not-for-profit, private, nonsectarian medical school located in the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx in New York City. May 23, 2007. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070522210932.htm¶ Scientists have long assumed that fungi exist mainly to decompose matter into chemicals that other organisms can then use. But researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found evidence that fungi possess a previously undiscovered talent with profound implications: the ability to use radioactivity as an energy source for making food and spurring their growth. "The fungal kingdom comprises more species than any other plant or animal kingdom, so finding that they're making food in addition to breaking it down means that Earth's energetics--in particular, the amount of radiation energy being converted to biological energy--may need to be recalculated," says Dr. Arturo Casadevall, chair of microbiology and immunology at Einstein and senior author of the study, published May 23 in PLoS ONE. The ability of fungi to live off radiation could also prove useful to people: "Since ionizing radiation is prevalent in outer space, astronauts might be able to rely on fungi as an inexhaustible food source on long missions or for colonizing other planets," says Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova, associate professor of nuclear medicine and microbiology and immunology at Einstein and lead author of the study. Those fungi able to "eat" radiation must possess melanin, the pigment found in many if not most fungal species. But up until now, melanin's biological role in fungi--if any--has been a mystery.¶ Radiation needed to continue fungi species; without it species extinction is certain¶ CBS, 08¶ Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek is a Dutch governmental institution that gathers statistical information about the Netherlands. January 4, 2008. https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2008/14/no-recovery-for-wild-mushroom-population¶ Deposits of airborne nitrogen and sulphur have decreased in recent years. Yet, wild mushrooms have become increasingly rare in Dutch forests since 2000. Nitrogen-sensitive species in particular have been reduced in number. Wild mushroom species insensitive to high atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen or species responding positively to high amounts of nitrogen have not been reduced at such a fast rate. There are about 3,500 mushroom species in the Netherlands. Approximately 500 species are under (serious) threat and figure on the so-called Red list. Nearly 200 species have already become extinct. Mushrooms are quite useful. They break down organic matter and produce nutrients for trees. If certain mushroom species become extinct, the chances of survival for other plants and animals are also diminishing. Eutrophication and acidification are the main causes for the declining mushroom population. Since 1981, the level of pollution has dropped dramatically, but the mushroom population has not thrived in the period 2000–2006. The current level of pollution appears to be still high for mushrooms in comparison to their natural habitat. Moreover, the pollution levels have hardly dropped in recent years. The quality of soil life in forests is still not back at its prior level. As a result, mushrooms and plants cannot benefit fully from the reduction in deposits of eutrophying and acidifying substances.¶ Fungi extinction causes end to biodiversity. ¶ Waking Times, 13¶ Waking Times is an independently owned and operated online magazine that seizes on the transformational power of information to trigger personal revolution and influence humanity’s evolution. Paul Edward Stamets is an American mycologist, author and advocate of bioremediation and medicinal mushrooms. November 12, 2013. http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/11/02/psychoactive-mushrooms-mycologist-paul-stamets-on-natures-little-teachers/¶ Examining the Mycelial network on the planet, Paul demonstrates how Mycelium is the Earth’s natural Internet allowing for communication between plant species. In fact, it acts as the neural network of the planet, as a sentient organism with the consciousness to respond to natural disasters and external events. Fungi is the foundation of our eco-system, excreting the enzymes that break down dead plant and animal material, and without it plants would all die.