Kingdom Fungi

What are some fungi Molds Lichens Mushrooms

There is a fungus among us! Fungi are everywhere: – Cheese – Mold – Athlete’s Foot – Food – edible Mushrooms – Poisonous Mushrooms

Mushrooms examples During the summer you may see them sprout up in your yard. Especially after a long-term rainstorm in the summer.

Edible Mushroom This is a morel mushroom.

Yeast unicellular Reproduce asexually by cell splitting or budding

What are the structures of a fungus? Fungus body Hypha (pl.=Hyphae) Mycelium (pl.=Mycelia) Gills in mushrooms Branching, threadlike tubes that make up the bodies Cap Stalk

How are they similar to other organisms? Presence of cell wall: Chitin Eukaryotes: organelles, e.g. nuclei, mitochondria, membranes

How do fungi eat? With a knife and fork? NO! They are decomposers! Enzymes (chemicals) are given off by the fungus The enzymes breaks down the material the fungus is growing on into food. The food is then digested by the enzymes. The digested food is then absorbed by the fungus.

Heterotroph or autotroph? They get their food from another source so they are Heterotrophs.

How do Fungi reproduce? Reproduce by spores (Asexual) Sexual reproduction by hyphae tubes mixing genetic material. They can in two ways:

Bad things caused by fungi: Ringworm Athlete’s Foot Under toenails and fingernails.

Uses of fungi: Food - cheese, eating mushrooms themselves. Medicines - Penicillin

Summary of Characteristics Eukaryotes Body composed of hypha, mycelium or yeast, or both. Reproduce asexually by spores Cell Wall, usually of chitin Most multicellular Unicellular = yeast Heterotrophs. – Mode of nutrition – absorption