Characteristics of Fungi
• Kingdom: Fungi
• Eukaryotic (have a nucleus)
• Some single-celled; most
are multi-cellular
• Rigid cell walls (like plants)
• No chlorophyll
• Come in a variety of
shapes, sizes and colors
Fungi Food
• Fungi can’t travel - must live on or
near their food supply.
• All are heterotrophs (get food from
others)
– Consumers: get food by secreting
digestive juices onto a food source
then absorbing the dissolved food
– Decomposers: feed on dead plant or
animal matter
– Others are Parasites
Fungus Parts
• Multicellular fungi: made up
of chains of cells called
hyphae (singular = hypha)
• Hyphae grow together to
form a twisted mass called
the mycelium.
• Mycelium makes up most of
the fungus, but is under
ground.
Making More FungiSexual or asexual reproduction
• 2 Asexual Processes:– Hyphae break apart; each new piece is a new
fungus
– Produce spores
Spores: small reproductive cells protected by a thick wallAdvantages of Spores:
1. Light and easily spread by the wind
2. Lands and grows into a new fungus
Fungus Mini Quiz #11. What cell structure do plants and fungi have
in common?
2. What chemical do plants have that fungi
don’t?
3. What kind of eater are MOST fungi?
4. What are hyphae?
5. What is the largest part of a fungus and
where is it found?
6. List one reason that spores are a
reproductive advantage.
Making More Fungi (part 2)
• Sexual process:
Step 1: Special structures form to make sex cells
Step 2: Then sex cells join to produce sexual spores
that grow a new fungus
Fungi Review
• What is a fungus?
• How do fungi eat?
• What are hyphae?
• What is a mycelium?
• How do fungi reproduce?
Threadlike Fungi
• Mold
– shapeless, fuzzy fungus
• Live in the soil
• Decomposers
• Reproduce sexually or asexually
Sac Fungi
• Largest group of fungi
• Examples: yeasts, mildews, truffles
• Reproduce sexually and asexually
• Some are single celled (yeasts) others are multicelluar (truffles)
• Some are useful to humans! – Yeasts for bread; others are antibiotics and
vitamins
• Some are parasites :(– Dutch Elm disease - kills plants
Non-mushroom Club Fungi
• Puffballs - go puff!
• Rusts - plant parasites (turn corn black)
• Bracket fungi look like shelves on trees
Imperfect Fungi
• Fungi that don’t fit in the other groups -misfits!
• Most are parasites (cause disease)
Ex: athlete’s foot
• Some are good!– Penicillium is where we get our antibiotic penicillin!
– Others are used to make cheeses, soy sauce, and citric acid in soda
Lichens…oooh, Special!
• Lichens - a combination of a fungus and an alga (protist) that grow together
• Mutualistic relationship: both organisms benefit from living together
• Producers (make energy from the sun)
• Found in almost every land environment
• Can grow on rocks
• Absorb nutrients from the air– good air = lots of lichens
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