How Are Plants and Fungi Different

Which is the plant? Which is the fungus?

Fungus Plant

Characteristic of Fungi Fungi are diverse in their characteristics. Some are big, some are small. Some like moist environments, some like dry ones. Some are colorful. Some live in the air, some in soil, some in your body

Fungi Can be Helpful or Harmful decomposers Harmful Disease Food spoilage Poison

How are Fungi Like Plants? Some grow in soil. They have cell walls.

How are Fungi Different from Plants? Obtaining food Cell walls Structures Reproduction

How do Fungi get Food? Fungi are heterotrophs. They digest food outside of their body and absorb the nutrients. Many are decomposers. Plants are autotrophs (producers)

Cell Wall The cell walls of fungi are different from plants because they are made of chitin. Plants cell walls are made of cellulose.

Structures Fungi have no leafs, roots, flowers ect.

Methods of Reproduction Fragmentation – part of fungus breaks off and grows into new fungus. Budding – in unicellular fungi (yeast), similar to mitosis. Spores – some fungi produce spores, small reproductive cells that will grow into a fungus in favorable conditions

Different types of Fungi Zygomycotes Ascomycotes Basidiomycotes Deuteromycotes

Zygomycotes Bread molds are and example. Reproduce by spore. Can reproduce asexually by producing zygospores.

Ascomycotes Yeast and truffles are examples. Reproduce by spores. Yeast undergo fermentation and are used to make bread and alcohol like wine and beer.

Basidiomycotes Example – mushroom Reproduce by spores

Deuteromycotes Used to make soy sauce, blue cheese, citric acid, and penicillin.

Mycorrhizae Symbiotic relationship with plants. Fungus forms on plant roots. More nutrients are absorbed by the plants because of the fungus. The plant provides the fungus with nutrients.

Lichen Symbiotic relationship between fungi and green algae or cyanobacteria. Fungus provides partner with water and minerals. Partner provides fungus with food. Lichen are the first to colonize an area after it has been destroyed (primary succession)