Fungus Among-us

Why is the mushroom more

popular than the flower?

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

Fungus Life Cycle

Fungi Review

• What is a fungus?

• How do fungi eat?

• What are hyphae?

• What is a mycelium?

• How do fungi reproduce?

4 Kinds of Fungi

1. Threadlike Fungi

2. Sac Fungi

3. Club Fungi

4. Imperfect Fungi (misfits!)

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

Club Fungi

• Look like umbrellas

• Reproduce sexually

• Many have “gills” underneath

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