Fungi Structures
Are fungi multicellular or unicellular?
Both
What structure is used in both sexual and asexual reproduction of fungi?
Spores
Give an example of a fungus that would be classified as a club fungus.
Mushrooms
A lichen is a mutualistic relationship between a fungus and what organism?
Algae
Fungi are___________.
Heterotrophs/autotrophs/both
Heterotrophs
What is the name of a unicellular fungus?
Yeast
Distinguish between haploid and diploid cells.
Haploid: one set of DNA
Diploid: two sets of DNA
Common molds can be divided into two reproductive categories (like male and female). What are these categories?
+ and -
Give one way that fungi are beneficial to humans and one way that they are harmful.
Beneficial: food, medication
Harmful: parasites to crops or human body
Give one example of a parasitic fungus. What species benefits and what species is harmed?
Cordyceps
Insect is killed while fungus grows and reproduces.
What is the relationship between hyphae and mycelium?
Fungi are composed of long chains of cells called hyphae.
Hyphae grow at their tips and branch repeatedly to form a netlike mass called a mycelium.
What is budding? Give one specific species that utilizes this method of reproduction.
Reproduction method of unicellular fungi such as yeast
New cell develops while attached to the parent cell
The plasma membrane pinches off to partially separate the new cell from the parent cell.
How do chytrids obtain nutrients?
Saprophytes (feed on decaying matter) and parasites (feed on living organisms)
How do lichens serve as pioneer species?
Often serve as pioneer species in new areas, conditioning the soil to allow new plants to grow. They can grow with little soil or on rocks to prepare soil for plant growth.
Explain what a mutualistic relationship involving fungi would look like.
Often form a relationship with plants, trading sugars for water and nutrient uptake
Give one way that fungi differ from plants based on their macroscopic structure (use specific terms!)
Fungi have hyphae/mycelium instead of roots, cross walls, and different cell wall composition.
What is the name of fruiting bodies in fungi? Explain how they function in reproduction.
Sporophore/sporangium
These sacs contain spores that can be released for reproduction.
What specialized structures are found in club fungi that allow for production of spores?
Basidiocarps/basidia
Explain what a bioindicator is and how lichens serve this purpose.
Lichens are especially sensitive to airborne pollutants because they absorb a lot of minerals and water from the air and rain.
Lichens serve as important bioindicators of air quality, meaning they are living organisms sensitive and responsive to changes in the environment.
What are saprophytic fungi?
Saprophytic fungi are decomposers that recycle nutrients in the environment.
What is the difference between septate and aseptate fungi?
Septate fungi have cross walls in their hyphae, creating divided cells. Aseptate fungi do not have cross walls.
Describe fragmentation. Is this a form of asexual or sexual reproduction?
Asexual reproduction that occurs when the mycelium of a fungus is physically broken apart.
If a fragment lands in a location with suitable growing conditions, the hyphae will grow into a new mycelia.
What are two specialized structures found in common molds that allow them to grow on food?
Form specialized hyphae called stolons, which grow across the surface of food.
Also have rhizoids, hyphae which penetrate into food and absorb nutrients
What mutualistic relationship is formed between fungi and plants? How does each benefit in this relationship?
Mycorrhizae
The fungus absorbs and concentrates various minerals for the plant.
The fungus receives carbohydrates and amino acids from the plant.
What is the name of the specialized hyphae that parasitic fungi use to anchor to the host?
Haustoria