Rhizopus Rhizopus Rhizopus is a genus of common saprophytic fungi on plants and specialized parasites on animals. They are found on a wide variety of organic substrates, including "mature fruits and vegetables", jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts, and tobacco. They are multicellular. Some "Rhizopus" species are opportunistic agents of human zygomycosis (fungal infection) and can be fatal. "Rhizopus" infections may also be a complication of diabetic ketoacidosis. This widespread genus includes at least eight species. "Rhizopus" species grow as filamentous, branching hyphae that generally lack cross-walls (i.e., they are coenocytic). They reproduce by forming asexual and sexual spores. In asexual reproduction,
Fern spike local extinction events, such as the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption. Extinction events have historically been caused by massive environmental disturbances, such as meteor strikes. Volcanic eruptions can also wipe out local ecosystems through pyroclastic flows and landslides, leaving the ground bare for new colonization. For a population to recover and thrive after such an event, it must be able to tolerate the conditions of the disturbed environment. Ferns have multiple characteristics which predispose them to grow in those environments. Plants generally reproduce with spores or seeds, meaning those will be what germinates in a disaster's aftermath. But spores have