Fungi

What do mushrooms in your stir-fry, yeast that makes bread rise, the fuzzy stuff on food left too long in the refrigerator, ringworm, and athlete's foot have in common? They are a few of the many examples of organisms in the kingdom Fungi. This is a very diverse group.

This kingdom is parasitic and some are parasitic on animals, including humans.

For example, there are serious fungal diseases of the lungs.

Many species are plant parasites. Fungi can cause losses of crops, spoilage

of food, and deterioration of all kinds of goods including leather, paper, and lumber.

Fungi are decomposers that perform vital service in the ecosystem.

Fungi break down materials for their own nutrition but by doing so they get rid of dead organisms and allow the recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem.

Difference between Fungi and Plants

At one time fungi were considered to be non-green plants.

Plants and fungi are similar in that they are both eukaryotic and have cells with cell walls, and they are both stationary.

There are differences between true plants and fungi, that place fungi in their own kingdom.

Fungi…

do not photosynthesize do not have true root systems do not contain cellulose in their cell

walls cells are multinucleate

Characteristics

Some fungi are microscopic and others can weigh several kilograms.

Since fungi are not photosynthetic, they obtain their food by absorbing nutrients from organic material.

They produce thread-like filaments called hyphae that extend out into the material to absorb food.

As the hyphae grow, they form a mass called mycelium. Mycelium is often not visible because it is beneath the surface. (Fungi are sometimes called the "hidden kingdom.")

The parts of fungi that we see are usually the reproductive parts and are temporary, like the fruits of plants.

Most fungi do not have cell walls or only partial cell walls between "compartments" so the cytoplasm is continuous and the cells have multiple nuclei.

The cell walls are composed of chitin, not cellulose.

Reproduction can be asexual or sexual by means of spores.

Diversity

Fungi or their spores are almost everywhere.

There are more than 80,000 species of fungi.

Most are grouped into three phyla.

Mushrooms belong in the kingdom Fungi. Mushrooms live on land or on other organisms, such as trees.

Many mushrooms are edible but some are extremely poisonous.

"Fairy rings" are circular or semicircular patterns of mushrooms often seen growing on a lawn in wet conditions.

These are the reproductive parts of the fungus that grow beneath the surface.

Rusts are club fungi that produce rust-coloured spores.

Rusts are parasites on cereal crops, and cause millions of dollars of damage.

Another group of fungi are the sac fungi.

An example of this is yeasts. Yeasts have significant economic

importance as they are used in the production of bread, alcohol, and alcoholic beverages.

Other sac fungi are parasitic and cause plant diseases including Dutch Elm disease.

The conjugation fungi, or molds, are another major group.

Bread mold is a common example. They reproduce by producing spores, but

they can also reproduce sexually by a process called conjugation.

Conjugation is a process where two cells join and exchange genetic information.

Molds are known for their ability to cause decay.

There is another smaller group called the imperfect fungi and includes all fungi that are not known to have a sexual reproductive phase.

They are therefore difficult to classify. Examples of imperfect fungi are Penicillin

used in antibiotics. These fungi also give the flavor to

Roquefort and Camembert cheeses. Others cause ringworm and athlete's foot

in humans.

Student Copy

Fungi

What do mushrooms in your stir-fry, yeast that makes bread rise, the fuzzy stuff on food left too long in the refrigerator, ringworm, and athlete's foot have in common? They are a few of the many examples of organisms in the kingdom Fungi. This is a very diverse group.

This kingdom is __________ and some are __________ on animals, including humans. For example, there are serious fungal diseases

of the lungs. Many species are plant parasites. Fungi can cause losses of crops, spoilage of

food, and deterioration of all kinds of goods including leather, paper, and lumber.

Fungi are __________ that perform vital service in the ecosystem.

Fungi __________ materials for their own nutrition but by doing so they get rid of dead organisms and allow the recycling of nutrients in the ecosystem.

Difference between Fungi and Plants

At one time fungi were considered to be non-green plants.

Plants and fungi are similar in that they are both __________ and have cells with cell walls, and they are both __________ .

There are differences between true plants and fungi, that place fungi in their own kingdom.

Fungi…

Characteristics

Some fungi are __________ and others can weigh __________ .

Since fungi are not photosynthetic, they obtain their food by absorbing nutrients from organic material.

They produce thread-like filaments called __________ that extend out into the material to absorb food.

As the __________ grow, they form a mass called __________ .

Mycelium is often not visible because it is beneath the surface. (Fungi are sometimes called the " ___________________.")

The parts of fungi that we see are usually the __________ parts and are temporary, like the fruits of plants.

Most fungi do not have cell walls or only partial cell walls between "compartments" so the cytoplasm is continuous and the cells have ________________.

The cell walls are composed of chitin, not cellulose.

Reproduction can be __________ or __________ by means of spores.

Diversity

Fungi or their spores are almost everywhere.

There are more than __________ species of fungi.

Most are grouped into three phyla.

__________ belong in the kingdom Fungi.

__________ live on land or on other organisms, such as trees.

Many mushrooms are edible but some are extremely poisonous.

" __________ " are circular or semicircular patterns of mushrooms often seen growing on a lawn in wet conditions.

These are the reproductive parts of the fungus that grow beneath the surface.

__________ are club fungi that produce rust-coloured spores.

__________ are parasites on cereal crops, and cause millions of dollars of damage.

Another group of fungi are the _______________

An example of this is __________ . Yeasts have significant economic

importance as they are used in the production of __________ and __________

Other sac fungi are parasitic and cause plant diseases including Dutch Elm disease.

The __________ or __________ , are another major group.

__________ is a common example. They reproduce by producing spores, but

they can also reproduce sexually by a process called __________ .

Conjugation is a process where two cells join and exchange genetic information.

Molds are known for their ability to cause decay.

(kind of another phylum of fungi)

There is another smaller group called the ________________ and includes all fungi that are not known to have a sexual reproductive phase.

They are therefore difficult to classify. Examples of imperfect fungi are __________

used in antibiotics. These fungi also give the flavor to

Roquefort and Camembert cheeses. Others cause __________ and __________ in

humans.