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Xerophile

 

 
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Xerophile
 
 
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Xerophiles are extremophilic
Extremophile

An extremophile is an organism that thrives in and may even require physically or geochemically extreme environment that are detrimental to the majority of life on Earth....
 organism
Organism

In biology, an organism is any life thing . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimulus , reproduction, growth and developmental biology, and maintenance of homeostasis as a stable whole....
s that can grow
Cell growth

The term cell growth is used in the contexts of Cell development and cell division . When used in the context of cell division, it refers to growth of cell populations, where one cell grows and divides to produce two "daughter cells"....
 and reproduce
Biological reproduction

Reproduction is the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual organism exists as the result of reproduction....
 in conditions with a low availability of water, also known as water activity
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
. Water activity
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
 (aw) is a measure of the amount of water within a substrate that an organism can use to support growth
Growth

Growth refers to an increase in some quantity over time. The quantity can be physical or abstract . It can also refer to the mode of growth, i.e....
. Xerophiles are often said to be "xerotolerant", meaning tolerant of dry conditions. They can survive in environments with water activity
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
 below 0.8. Endolith
Endolith

An endolith is an organism that lives inside Rock , coral, animal shells, or in the Porositys between mineral grains of a rock. Many are extremophiles; living in places previously thought inhospitable to life....
s and halophile
Halophile

Halophiles are extremophile organisms that thrive in environment s with very high concentrations of salt. The name comes from Greek language for "salt-loving"....
s are often xerotolerant.

The common food preservation
Food preservation

Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or greatly slow down spoilage caused or accelerated by micro-organisms....
 method of reducing water activities
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
 may not prevent the growth of xerophilic organisms, often resulting in food spoilage.






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Xerophiles are extremophilic
Extremophile

An extremophile is an organism that thrives in and may even require physically or geochemically extreme environment that are detrimental to the majority of life on Earth....
 organism
Organism

In biology, an organism is any life thing . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimulus , reproduction, growth and developmental biology, and maintenance of homeostasis as a stable whole....
s that can grow
Cell growth

The term cell growth is used in the contexts of Cell development and cell division . When used in the context of cell division, it refers to growth of cell populations, where one cell grows and divides to produce two "daughter cells"....
 and reproduce
Biological reproduction

Reproduction is the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual organism exists as the result of reproduction....
 in conditions with a low availability of water, also known as water activity
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
. Water activity
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
 (aw) is a measure of the amount of water within a substrate that an organism can use to support growth
Growth

Growth refers to an increase in some quantity over time. The quantity can be physical or abstract . It can also refer to the mode of growth, i.e....
. Xerophiles are often said to be "xerotolerant", meaning tolerant of dry conditions. They can survive in environments with water activity
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
 below 0.8. Endolith
Endolith

An endolith is an organism that lives inside Rock , coral, animal shells, or in the Porositys between mineral grains of a rock. Many are extremophiles; living in places previously thought inhospitable to life....
s and halophile
Halophile

Halophiles are extremophile organisms that thrive in environment s with very high concentrations of salt. The name comes from Greek language for "salt-loving"....
s are often xerotolerant.

The common food preservation
Food preservation

Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or greatly slow down spoilage caused or accelerated by micro-organisms....
 method of reducing water activities
Water activity

Water activity is a dimensionless quantity used to represent the energy status of the water in a system. It is defined as the vapor pressure of water above a sample divided by that of pure water at the same temperature; therefore, pure distilled water has a water activity of exactly one....
 may not prevent the growth of xerophilic organisms, often resulting in food spoilage. Many mold
Mold

Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of Multicellular organism filaments, called hyphae. In contrast, microscopic fungi that grow as single cells are called yeasts....
 and yeast
Yeast

Yeasts are eukaryote microorganisms classified in the Kingdom fungus, with about 1,500 species currently described; they dominate fungal diversity in the oceans....
 species are xerophilic. Mold
Mold

Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of Multicellular organism filaments, called hyphae. In contrast, microscopic fungi that grow as single cells are called yeasts....
 growth on bread
Bread

Bread is a staple food prepared by baking a dough of flour and water. It may be leavened or unleavened. Edible salt, fat and a leavening agent such as yeast are common ingredients, though bread may contain a range of other ingredients: milk, Egg , sugar, spice, fruit , vegetables , Nut or seeds ....
 is an example of food spoilage by xerophilic organisms.

This naming comes from the greek "xeros" meaning dry, and "philos" meaning "loving."

Examples:
  • Trichosporonoides nigrescens
  • Cacti
    Cactus

    A cactus is any member of the spine plant family Cactaceae, native to the Americas. They are often used as ornamental plants, but some are also Crop plants....
     are also a type of xerophile.

See also

  • Xerophyte
    Xerophyte

    A xerophyte or xerophytic organism is a plant which is able to survive in an environment with little available water or moisture, usually in environments where potential evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation for all or part of the growing season....