Fungi

 The largest living thing on Earth is a humongous fungus  This is a honey fungus that is 2.4 miles long, found in the mountains of Oregon  Lives above and under ground  Responsible for tree deaths

 Fungi may live on soil, water, in air, on plants, and on animals  3 GROUPS ◦ Yeasts ◦ Molds ◦ “True” Fungi

 Plants contain chlorophyll and are producers; fungi absorb food from their environment  Plants have roots, leaves, and stems Fungi do not have these structures  Plant cell walls are made of cellulose Fungal walls are made of chitin

 Yeast are single celled  Other fungi are multicellular  The bodies of multicellular fungi are made of long strands of hyphae – chains of cells or one large long cell with many nuclei  An underground network of hyphae is called a mycelium

 The mycelia of fungi produce fruiting bodies – these are reproductive structures that grow above ground  A mushroom is an example of a fruiting body

 Fungi reproduce both sexually and asexually  Yeasts, or single celled fungi, reproduce asexually

 Most multicellular fungi reproduce sexually, although some reproduce both sexually and asexually

Fungi may play a few roles in the environment  Decomposers Decompose dead & decaying organic matter (leaves, twigs, logs, animals, etc.)  Pathogens Fungi may cause and spread disease  Mutualists The fungi and another organism are in a mutually beneficial relationship