Final answer:
Fungi contribute to significant crop losses through diseases like ergot and degrading soil health, but specific percentages of loss in temperate and tropical regions are not provided in the references. The impact of fungi on crops is worsened by environmental factors and unsustainable agricultural practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
The impact of fungi on crop production is significant, especially in regions with different climatic conditions such as temperate and tropical zones. Fungi are the cause of various plant diseases that lead to the decay of plant tissues and death of crops. Specific examples include diseases like ergot, caused by the fungus Claviceps purpurea, which not only diminishes cereal crop yields but also produces alkaloid toxins that can cause serious health issues such as ergotism in humans and animals. Other common fungal pathogens affecting crops are smuts, rusts, and mildews.
In tropical regions, the issues are compounded by the loss of rainforests and the associated biodiversity. Extensive horticulture is adapted in these regions due to less nutrient-rich soils but leads to soil degradation when coupled with practices like slash-and-burn farming. In temperate zones, the problem isn't as severe due to the natural process of vegetation decay and subsequent humus formation enriching the soil, but losses still occur.
The FAO has indicated that a quarter of agricultural land is highly degraded, and continued unsatisfactory agricultural practices exacerbate this issue. The degradation and decline of suitable agricultural land are key concerns globally, affecting long-term sustainability and food production capabilities. Unfortunately, the provided references do not contain specific percentages of crops lost to fungi in temperate and tropical regions, but the impact is demonstrably significant and has both direct effects on crop yield and indirect effects through soil degradation and loss of productive land.