What are Fungi

1. What are Fungi • One of the 6 kingdoms • Eukaryotes • Cell Walls of chitin • Heterotrophs • Decomposers & Parasites • Reproduce with spores sexually and asexually • Multicellular except for unicellular yeast cells • Grow in moist, warm places.

2. How Fungi Obtain Food • Absorb food through hyphae that grow into the food source. • Hyphae-threadlike tube that makes up the body of multicellular fungi

3. How Fungi Digest Food • Grow hyphae into a food source • Release digestive chemicals through the hyphae into the food • Chemicals break down the food • Hyphae absorb the broken down food

4. Roles of Fungi • Decomposers that break down dead organisms • Parasites that feed on living organisms • Dutch Elm Tree Disease • Athletes’ Foot • Food Source Athlete’s Foot, Toenail Fungus, Ringworm

5. Fungi Reproduction • Usually reproduce asexually by producing spores in fruiting bodies that are spread by wind, water, and animals. • Sexually reproduce by hyphae from different fungi growing together and exchanging genetic information then growing a fruiting body that releases the spores. • Yeasts reproduce asexually by budding. • Small yeast cell grows from the body of the parent cell and breaks off.

6. Classification of Fungi • Classified by spore producing structures and ability to reproduce sexually. • Four Groups of Fungi • Threadlike Fungi • Sac Fungi • Club Fungi • Imperfect Fungi

7. Threadlike Fungi • Produce spores in threadlike hyphae. • Can reproduce sexually. • Examples: bread molds like Rhizopus which sends up hyphae with the spore sac on the end. Threadlike Fungi Black is the spore case on the tip of the hyphae

8. Sac Fungi • Produce spores in structures that look like sacks. • Can reproduce sexually. • Examples: yeast, morels, truffles, and fungi that cause plant diseases like Dutch Elm Disease. Truffles grow underground Yeast Fungi Morel Fungi

9. Club Fungi Puffball Bracket Fungus . • Produce spores in structures that look like clubs. • Can reproduce sexually • Examples: mushrooms, bracket fungi, plant parasites, and puffballs. Mushroom

10. Imperfect Fungi • Not known to reproduce sexually. • They are not totally sure how they reproduce. • Includes 25,000 species including the Penicillium mold. Sweet Gum Parasite Penicillium

11. Fungi As Decomposers • Break down dead organisms for energy. • Recycle the elements back to the earth. • Without decomposers the earth would be covered with dead organisms.

12. Fungi and Food • Fungi can flavor foods. • Roquefort Cheese and Blue Cheese Dressing • Yeast cells create carbon dioxide gas as they feed and help produce foods. • Bread rises because of the gas bubbles. • Wine and Beer ferment due to the carbon dioxide and alcohol produced by the yeast. • Fungi are eaten for food.

13. Disease Causing Fungi • Fungi cause diseases in some plants. • Examples: corn smut and wheat rust. • Fungi cause some diseases in animals. • Examples: ring worm and athletes’ foot.

14. Lichens: A Mutual Relationship • Fungus and algae or autotrophic bacteria living together. • Fungus gets food from the algae or bacteria. • Bacteria or algae gets water and minerals from the fungus. • Pioneer organism: first to grow in a barren area after a fire, volcano, or rock slide.

15. Symbiosis and Fungi • Fungi grow among the roots of some plants and help the plant grow better. • Mutualism: both the plant and fungi benefit. • Hyphae spread out and absorb water and nutrients for the plant. • Fungi also benefits as it feeds on extra food the plant stores. • Example: orchid plant

16. Why does everyone want to beFriends with Mr. Mold? • They heard he’s a real fun-gi!!!

17. 15 minutes Fungi Video Review Fairy Ring Fungus