kingdom fungi ( heterotrophs )

A fungus is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, fungi, which is separate from the other eukaryotic life kingdoms of plants and animals.

1. Kingdom Fungi
•Eukaryotes
•Cell wallmade of chitin, a carbohydrate
(same compound as exoskeleton of insects!!!!!)
•Most multicellular: mushrooms, molds
•Some unicellular: yeasts
•Heterotrophs: -decomposers
-some parasites
•Body made is made of filaments called hyphae
•Reproduce using spores

2. Characteristics of Fungi
•The body of a fungus is called a mycelium --a matt of thin,
tangled threads.
•The individual thread like strands of cells are called
hyphae.
•Cell wall made of chitina carbohydrate (same compound
as exoskeleton of insects!!!!!)

3. Hyphaeare one cellthick but many cells long

4. Reproduction
-Mushrooms
reproduce using
spores
-Sporesare small
reproductive cells
released from the
gills
-Mushrooms can
also reproduce
when hyphae
breakoffand grow
on their own

5. Most fungi are decomposers.
Break down organic material like dead
animals, plants, etc.
They feed by releasing digestive enzymes
that break down organic compounds. The
cells (hyphae) then absorb the digested
compounds.
Some are parasites: Feed on other
living organisms
•Athlete’s foot
•Candida albicans(vaginal and mouth
yeast infections)

6. •Tinea pedis
(Athlete’s foot)
•Candida albicans
(yeast infection)
•Usually kept in check by
competition with bacteria.
This balance can be upset by
antibiotics that kill the bacteria

7. Useful Fungi
Some Fungi produce antibiotics
-Penicillium notatummakes Penicillin (antibiotic)
-Grows naturally in some fruits -oranges

8. Fungi used to make cheese:
Blue Cheese: Penicillium roquefortiiis used to
make blue cheeses: Roquefort, Gorgonzola,
Stilton, etc.
The blue ‘stuff’ are spores: You eat millions in one bite!

9. Yeast: used to make bread, wine, beer
-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baking). Unicellular
-Yeasts use sugars as a source of energy during
respiration.
-Their waste productsare CO
2and alcohol

10. Lichens
•Symbiotic relationship between a fungusand a
photosynthetic organism:
-Algae(Protista) or Cyanobacteria(Eubacteria)

11. What lichens are really made of

12. Some mushrooms contain deadly toxins.
Don’t touch unknown mushrooms!
Hallucinogens in some (high doses deadly)
Some poisonous Ohio mushrooms:

13. Importance of fungi to humans
--Diseases—e.g., yeast infections
with Candida cause thrush
--Food spoilage—zygomycetebread
molds; ergot molds on wet grains
(source of LSD; likely cause of
witch hunts in Salem, MA/Europe)
cause hallucinations.
--Plant pathogens like molds, smuts,
rusts
special hyphaeto invade living
plant tissue are called haustoria.
++Mychorrhizaeallow more
robust plant growth
++Succession restores soil
(as after volcano erupts)
++Primary decomposers on
land
++Food sources –
mushrooms
++Fermentation of alcoholic
beverages (alcoholic
fermentation by yeasts)

14. The cellulase enzyme allows fungi to act as a
decomposer, essential in every food web. The
outer ring on this food web diagram shows how
decomposers link all levels of the food web.

15. Fossils of fungi are rare
because… a . t h eir l a te a pp ea r an c e . . b. t heir la c k o f sp eci es d i ... c. t heir co mp os it i o n of s. .. d. t heir ab i l i ty to fo r m p ...
0% 0%0%0%
a. their late appearance
on the Geologic Time
Scale
b. their lack of species
diversity
c. their composition of
soft materials
d. their ability to form
protective spores

16. All fungi ma ke th eir fo o ...
pr o du ce mu sh ro ...
a bso r b t heir f. ..
ha v e c h l or op h y.. .
0% 0%0%0%
a.make their food.
b.produce
mushrooms.
c.absorb their food.
d.have chlorophyll.

17. Fungi do NOT Ca r ry ou t ph o to sy nt he si s. di g est fo o d ou t si de t hei. .. gr o w o n th eir fo o d so ur c e. d. a b so rb fo o d th r ou gh ...
0% 0%0%0%
a.Carry out
photosynthesis.
b.digest food outside
their bodies.
c.grow on their food
source.
d. absorb food
through their cell
walls.

18. Fungi resemble plants in that
they both always ha v e s tems .
a re mul t i c ell ul a r .
gr o w fr om t he gr o un d.
d. h a ve ce ll w a l l s.
0% 0%0%0%
a.have stems.
b.are multicellular.
c.grow from the
ground.
d. have cell walls.

19. Stinkhorns, are mushrooms that mimic the odor of rotting
meat. What do you think is the main mechanism or
strategy used by this fungi to disperse its spores? a . w i n d. b. sn o w . c. b i rd s. d. fl i es.
0% 0%0%0%
a. wind.
b. snow.
c. birds.
d. flies.

20. Bread risesbecause fermentation by yeast
produces sp or es. w at er .
rh i zo i ds .
ca r bo n d i ox i de. ..
0% 0%0%0%
a.spores.
b.water.
c.rhizoids.
d.carbon dioxide.

21. Which statement about Penicillium
is correct a . I t pr o du c es... b. It ca u ses b ...
c. It i s th e s ...
d. It ca u ses a ...
0% 0%0%0%
a. It produces
mushrooms.
b. It causes bread to
rise.
c. It is the source of
an antibiotic.
d. It causes athlete’s
foot.

22. An important role of fungi in an
ecosystem is ph ot o sy nt hes i s...
ma ki n g a l co h ol
br ea k in g d ow n ...
d. k i l l i ng b a c. ..
0% 0%0%0%
a.photosynthesis.
b.making alcohol
c.breaking down
dead organisms.
d. killing bacteria.

23. The breakdown of dead organisms is
accelerated by the fungal production of a . a l c o ho l s.
b. d i ges ti v e e. ..
c. a c i ds .
d. r ec yc l ed n u.. .
0% 0%0%0%
a. alcohols.
b. digestive enzymes.
c. acids.
d. recycled nutrients.

24. The growth of yeasts in moist regions of the
body is kept in check by competition from a nt i bi o ti c s.
ru st s.
ba c ter i a .
d. mi l d ew s.
0% 0%0%0%
a.antibiotics.
b.rusts.
c.bacteria.
d. mildews.

25. Which statement about lichens is
correct? a . T h ey a r e n o t to l er a nt . . b. T h ey c an n ot ma k e th e..
c. T h ey g ro w o n l y i n so i l .
d. T h ey a re c omp o sed o f ..
0% 0%0%0%
a. They are not tolerant
of harsh conditions.
b. They cannot make
their own food.
c. They grow only in soil.
d. They are composed
of an alga or a
cyanobacterium and a
fungus living together.