Kingdom Fungi Heterotrophic Absorptive, extracellular digestive via dig. enzymes Primary decomposers –Along with bacteria Most are Saprobes –Some parasitic –Some predatory –Some form symbiotic relationships All are spore formers

Most are multicellular (except for yeasts) Extending filaments = hyphae Branch network of hyphae = mycelium Mostly coenocytic with reduced or partial internal septa (internal cell walls) Cell walls with chitin –Nitrogenous polysaccharide

3-stage life cycle 1. Haploid stage Mycelia of “+” hyphae (n) and “-” hyphae (n) 2. Dikaryon stage (+) hyphae partially fuses with (-) hyphae producing a dikaryon (2 nuclei) or heterokaryon (more than two of each unfused nuclei) ** Some fungi will fuse the nuclei here and produce a zygote 3. Diploid stage fusing of the dikaryon (or heterokaryon) nuclei product of Karyogamy

Rhizopus hyphae

Zygomycota/Rhizopus sporangia

Rhizopus zygosporangia

Rhizopus zygosporangium 2 Suspensor cell Zygosporangium(zygospores within)

Ecological roles Saprobes, detritivores, recycle nutrients Symbiotic –Mutualistic, parasitic, and predatory –Nitrogen fixing Mycorrhizae fungi transfer essential minerals to roots in exchange for food –Can order spore inoculants to add to planting soil –Lichens

Evolutionary branch of a flagellated ancestor Fungal clades/ phyla based primarily on reproductive variations –Strategies –Morphological

Basidiomycota-mushrooms

Basidomycota-puffballs

Basidomycota-bracket fungi

Basidomycota-section through basidocarp Stalk Gills with basidia and basidiospores

Basidospores on gills of basidocarp basidia basidospores

Ascomycota/Hemisacomycota- Yeast

Ascomycota/Euascomycota- Morels

Ascomycota/Euascomycota-cup fungi

Ascomycota, cup sectioned

Ascospores with ascosporangia

Penicillium Conidophore Conidiospores (conidia)

Aspergillius

Lichen structure 2 Algal cells Asci with ascospores

Crustose lichen

Fruticose lichen

Foliose lichen

Lichen soredia

Lichen producing soredia along margin of thallus