Fungal Enumeration
Fungal Enumeration - Related Videos
09:29
Algae Enumeration via Culturable Methodology
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2023
Source: Laboratories of Dr. Ian Pepper and Dr. Charles Gerba - The University of Arizona Demonstrating Author: Bradley Schmitz Algae are a highly heterogeneous group of microorganisms that have one common trait, namely the possession of photosynthetic pigments. In the environment, algae can cause problems for swimming pool owners by growing in the water. Algae can also cause problems in surface waters, such as lakes and reservoirs, due to algal blooms that release toxins. More recently, algae...
10:53
Serial Dilutions and Plating: Microbial Enumeration
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2023
Source: Jonathan F. Blaize1, Elizabeth Suter1, and Christopher P. Corbo1 1 Department of Biological Sciences, Wagner College, 1 Campus Road, Staten Island NY, 10301 Quantitative assessment of prokaryotes can be onerous given their abundance, propensity for exponential proliferation, species diversity within a population, and specific physiological needs. Compounding this challenge, is the four-phase nature in which bacteria replicate (lag, log, stationary and death). The ability to accurately...
08:52
Live-cell Video Microscopy of Fungal Pathogen Phagocytosis
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Cited by 22 •
2013
We describe methods for live-cell video microscopy of Candida albicans phagocytosis by macrophages. These methods enable stage-specific analysis of macrophage migration, recognition, engulfment and phagosome maturation and reveal novel aspects of phagocytosis.
10:57
Culturing and Enumerating Bacteria from Soil Samples
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2023
Source: Laboratories of Dr. Ian Pepper and Dr. Charles Gerba - The University of Arizona Demonstrating Authors: Bradley Schmitz and Luisa Ikner Surface soils are a heterogeneous mixture of inorganic and organic particles that combine together to form secondary aggregates. Within and between the aggregates are voids or pores that visually contain both air and water. These conditions create an ideal ecosystem for bacteria, so all soils contain vast populations of bacteria, usually over 1 million...
10:01
Quantification of Fungal Colonization, Sporogenesis, and Production of Mycotoxins Using Kernel Bioassays
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Cited by 36 •
2012
The devastation of cereal crops by seed-infecting fungi has prompted numerous research efforts to better understand plant-pathogen interactions. To study seed-fungal interactions in a laboratory setting, we developed a robust method for the quantification of fungal reproduction, biomass, and mycotoxin contamination using kernel bioassays.
FAQs
Dilution changes the sample concentration before culture, while selective media support fungal growth during the assessment. The resulting colonies provide a quantitative basis for reporting abundance as colony-forming units. Together, these choices make measurements more interpretable across environmental samples, although the result reflects fungi recovered under the selected culture conditions.
Culture-based enumeration records fungi that produce colonies under the chosen conditions. Microscopy and molecular assays provide complementary measurements, allowing researchers to assess fungal abundance and distribution through more than one measurement perspective. This combination is useful when a culture result alone may not provide a complete view of fungi present in an environmental sample.
Environmental conditions can influence fungal abundance and distribution, so counts should be interpreted in relation to the setting from which a sample was collected. This relationship is central to environmental research because enumeration can support studies of how conditions shape fungal communities, rather than treating a measured count as independent of its surroundings.
A sample is diluted, cultured on selective media, and examined for the colonies that develop. Those colonies are counted, and the result is commonly reported as colony-forming units. This workflow can be applied to soil, water, air, or organic materials, with the sample type providing important environmental context for interpreting the measurement.
The approach is useful when investigators need quantitative evidence for air quality, soil health, decomposition, contamination, or ecosystem function. It can also support environmental monitoring, pollution assessment, and public health investigations. The application depends on the sample and research question, such as evaluating fungal abundance in a medium or examining environmental change.
Counts provide evidence about fungal abundance and distribution, allowing researchers to compare fungal presence across environmental samples or settings. In environmental sciences, these measurements can contribute to interpretations of soil health, ecosystem function, and decomposition, while also supporting assessments of contamination and air quality. Their value comes from linking quantitative observations to a specific environmental question.