Transcript Unit 6 Microorganisms & Fungi

Unit 6 Microorganisms
& Fungi
Ch. 21 Fungi
What are Fungi?
 Fungi
are eukaryotic heterotrophs that
have cell walls
 Chitin - makes up cell walls, a complex
carb. also found in the external skeletons
of insects
Structure & Function of Fungi
 Hyphae
- thin filaments that make up
multicellular fungi
Structure & Function of Fungi
 The
bodies of multicellular fungi are
composed of many hyphae tangled
together into a thick mass called a
mycelium
 Mycelium - absorbs food, has a large
surface area to come in contact with the
food source
Structure & Function of Fungi
 Fruiting
body - a reproductive structure
growing from the mycelium in the soil
beneath it
Reproduction in Fungi
 Most
fungi reproduce both asexually &
sexually
 Sporangia - structure where spores are
produced
Classification of Fungi
 The
kingdom Fungi has over 100,000
species
 They are classified according to their
structure & method of reproduction
 The 4 main groups of fungi are: common
molds, sac fungi, club fungi, & the
imperfect fungi
Classification of Fungi
 The
Common Molds grow on meat,
cheese, & bread
 There are more than 30,000 species of
sac fungi, making it the largest phylum of
the kingdom Fungi
Classification of Fungi
 Club
fungi gets its name from a
specialized reproductive structure that
resembles
a club
Classification of Fungi
 The
imperfect fungi are so named
because our understanding of their life
cycles may not be perfect
 A sexual phase has never been observed
in their life cycles
Ecology of Fungi
 All
fungi are heterotrophs
 Many are saprobes - organisms that
obtain food from decaying organic matter
Ecology of Fungi
 Fungi

as Decomposers:
Fungi play an essential role in
maintaining equilibrium in
nearly every ecosystem,
where they recycle nutrients
by breaking down the bodies
& wastes of other organisms
Ecology of Fungi
 Fungi


as Parasites:
Parasitic fungi cause
serious plant & animal
diseases
A few cause diseases in humans
Ecology of Fungi
 Symbiotic


Relationships:
Some fungi form symbiotic relationships in
which both partners benefit
2 such mutualistic associations, lichens &
mycorrhizae, are essential to many
ecosystems
Ecology of Fungi
 Symbiotic

Relationships:
Lichens - mutualistic relationship
between a fungus & an alga or a
cyanobacterium, or both
Ecology of Fungi
 Symbiotic

Relationships:
Mycorrhizae - associations of
plant roots & fungi