FUNGI

YOU MUST KNOW… THE CHARACTERISTICS OF FUNGI IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL ROLES OF FUNGI IN MYCORRHIZAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND AS DECOMPOSERS AND PARASITIC PLANT PATHOGENS

CONCEPT 31.1 FUNGI ARE HETEROTROPHS THAT FEED BY ABSORPTION

EUKARYOTES MULTICELLULAR HETEROTROPHS THAT OBTAIN NUTRIENTS BY ABSORPTION SECRETE HYDROLYTIC ENZYMES, DIGEST FOOD OUTSIDE THEIR BODIES, AND ABSORB THE SMALL MOLECULES

CELL WALLS MADE OF CHITIN BODIES ARE COMPOSED OF FILAMENTS CALLED HYPHAE THAT ARE ENTWINED TO FORM THE MYCELIUM HYPHAE ARE DIVIDED INTO CELLS BY SEPTA REPRODUCE BY SPORES NUTRITION MODES INCLUDE DECOMPOSERS, PARASITES, AND MUTUALISTS

CONCEPT 31.4 FUNGI HAVE RADIATED INTO A DIVERSE SET OF LINEAGES

FUNGI – 5 PHYLA ZYGOMYCOTA (ZYGOTE FUNGI) – TERRESTRIAL – INCLUDE FAST-GROWING MOLDS, PARASITES, COMMENSAL SYMBIONTS ASCOMYCOTA (SAC FUNGI) – PRODUCE SEXUAL SPORES IN SAC-LIKE STRUCTURES CALLED ASCI – INCLUDE YEASTS AND SORDARIA BASIDIOMYCOTA (CLUB FUNGI) – INCLUDE MUSHROOMS- IMPORTANT DECOMPOSERS

CONCEPT 31.5 FUNGI PLAY KEY ROLES IN NUTRIENT CYCLING, ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS, AND HUMAN WELFARE

IMPORTANT DECOMPOSERS OF ORGANIC MATERIAL INCLUDING CELLULOSE AND LIGNIN MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PLANT ROOTS AND IMPROVES THE DELIVERY OF MINERALS TO THE PLANT (MUTUALISM) LICHENS – SYMBIOTIC ASSOCIATIONS OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC MICROORGANISMS (ALGAE) EMBEDDED IN A NETWORK OF FUNGAL HYPHAE 30% OF FUNGI ARE PARASITES