title: Has the prehistoric ice-man contributed to the preservation of living fungal spores?
abstract: There are arguments against the conclusion drawn by Haselwandter and Ebner that fungal spores have survived for some 5300 years on hay padding in the leather boots of a frozen body discovered in the Austrian Alps. According to cryobiological experience, long-term survival of fungal spores is very unlikely at temperatures fluctuating between zero and -40 degrees C. It is quite possible that living spores of these common species have recently reached this substratum.
authors.affiliation: Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, Baarn, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gams
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stalpers
mesh_terms: D003080:Cold Temperature; D005658:Fungi / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009106:Mummies; D013172:Spores, Fungal; D013997:Time Factors