Fungi

Fungi Found in nearly every type of habitat on Earth What you see on the surface is only part of the whole fungus Fungi live by decomposing living and nonliving organic matter

What is a Fungus? Mushrooms Yeast Puffballs Morels Truffles Bracket Fungi Mold Ringworm

General Characteristics Have cell walls made of chitin Most are multicellular Eukaryotes Heterotrophs Grow on their food source Extracellular digestion Feed through absorption Produce spores

Fungi used to be classified as members of the plant kingdom Fungi used to be classified as members of the plant kingdom. Why do you think this happened?

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Cell Wall Composition Number of Cells Nutrition Locomotion Complex Organs

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Eukaryotic Cell Wall Composition Number of Cells Nutrition Locomotion Complex Organs

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Cell Wall Composition Chitin Cellulose Number of Cells Nutrition Locomotion Complex Organs

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Cell Wall Composition Number of Cells Multicellular (except yeast) Multicellular Nutrition Locomotion Complex Organs

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Cell Wall Composition Number of Cells Nutrition Extracellular Digestion and Absorption Photosynthesis Locomotion Complex Organs

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Cell Wall Composition Number of Cells Nutrition Locomotion No Complex Organs

Fungi vs. Plants Fungi Plants Cell Type Cell Wall Composition Number of Cells Nutrition Locomotion Complex Organs None Roots, Stems, Leaves

Structure of Multicellular Fungi Basic structural unit is the HYPHAE Hyphae develop from spores Extensive network of hyphae filaments is known as MYCELIUM Hyphae are divided by cross walls called SEPTA Hyphae of parasitic fungi are known as HAUSTORIA

What is a Mushroom? Not all fungi produce mushrooms A mushroom is a fruiting body (reproductive structure) of a fungus Mushrooms are found at the edges of the mycellium and form a ring

Asexual Reproduction Most fungi reproduce asexually and sexually Fragmentation—piece of hyphae breaks off and begins to grow Budding—new individual grows by mitosis and then breaks off Producing spores

Sexual Reproduction Fungi may also produce spores by meiosis Fungi are diploid during only a small part of their lifecycle The way spores are produced sexually is the basis for classification of fungi into groups

Spore Dispersal Many spores are dry and almost weightless, and they are dispersed by the wind. Other spores are specialized to lure animals to disperse them.

The Bad Rep of Fungi Cause disease in plants and animals Destroy crops Athlete’s foot Ringworm Yeast infections Destroy crops Corn smut Wheat rust Spoil food

The Importance of Fungi Decomposers (saprobes) Nutrient recyclers: return trace elements to the soil Food source Helped early plants obtain nutrients from the ground

Mycorrhizae Symbiotic relationship between a fungus and plant roots                         Symbiotic relationship between a fungus and plant roots Plant gets more nutrients and water so becomes larger and more productive Fungus receives sugars and amino acids from the plant

Lichens Symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a green algae or cyanobacterium Fungus is provided with food Algae or cyanobacterium gets water and nutrients as well as protection