Biology Notebook: 06.

04 Fungus
Objectives:
 Describe the structure and reproduction of fungi
 Describe how fungi obtain nutrients
 Identify the four main types of fungi
 Recognize the role fungi play in the ecosystem

Key Questions and Terms Notes

The Fungus Kingdom
Describe the species of the fungus kingdom.  eukaryotic and multicellular.
What similarities do fungi share with plants? Their cells are specialized, like those of plants
and animals, but their multicellular tissues are
less complex. Like plants, some fungi grow
from the soil while others grow flowery
outgrowths. Due to these similarities, fungal
species were once categorized under the plant
kingdom.
Explain how fungal cell walls are similar to They compared the cell walls of fungi to those of
animals. plants and discovered that many fungal cell walls are
made of chitin, a stiff material found in the shells of
beetles and lobsters. However, chitin is not found in
the cell walls of plants
What are decomposers?  Instead, fungi are part of a special group
of heterotrophs called decomposers. They
How do fungi obtain food?  They break down dead plant and animal matter and
consume it for energy. After reviewing the new
evidence, scientists concluded that although these
species looked like plants, they behaved more like
animals and needed their own kingdom within
taxonomy.
Describe the fungi reproduction process.
Step 1
Many fungi have rhizoids; single cells connected end
to end that form a root-like structure that allows them
to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. But don't
be fooled! Although rhizoids resemble roots, they are
not. Fungi lack the vascular tissues found in the root
systems of plants.

Step 2
 Fungi also have a loose network of filaments, called
hyphae, which form the mycelium. The hyphae are
responsible for both feeding and reproducing. They
release enzymes to digest the food in their
surroundings and then absorb the resulting nutrients
into their cells.

Step 3
The fruiting bodies of fungi, sporangiophores, can be
thin stalks or they can be mushrooms with gills
underneath where the spores are released.
Sporangiums grow on the stalks of sporangiophores,
and release haploid spores that will become new
adults. This form of asexual reproduction is common
among fungal species and favored over sexual
reproduction.

Step 4
Hyphae also form stolon that grow above ground and
connect with the stolon of neighboring fungi. Stolons
assist with sexual reproduction when different mating
types connect and form a gametangia. In the
gametangia, haploid nuclei of fungal cells can fuse to
form a diploid zygote, and then a zygospore. It
undergoes immediate meiosis to make haploid spores.
The spores are then released to form new fungi.

Describe the structure of fungi: 2. Mycelium: The mycelium is composed of

1. Rhizoids: Rhizoids are root-like outgrowths that filamentous hyphae that release digestive enzymes
absorb nutrients and water from the soil. They do not into the surrounding substrate. These enzymes
contain the hollow vascular tissues that plants use for breakdown (decompose) food for absorption into
water and nutrient uptake. Instead, their cell hyphae cells.
membranes are porous so water and nutrients can pass 4. Sporangiophores: Sporangiophores are
between rhizoid cells. reproductive stalks that grow from the mycelium.
3. Hyphae: Hyphae also form stolon that grow They support the sporangium, or spore capsule.
above ground and connect with the stolon of 5. Sporangium: The fruiting bodies of
neighboring fungi. Stolons assist with sexual fungi, sporangiophores, can be thin stalks or they
reproduction when different mating types connect and can be mushrooms with gills underneath where the
form a gametangia. In the gametangia, haploid nuclei spores are released. Sporangiums grow on the stalks
of fungal cells can fuse to form a diploid zygote, and of sporangiophores, and release haploid spores that
then a zygospore. It undergoes immediate meiosis to will become new adults. This form of asexual
make haploid spores. The spores are then released to reproduction is common among fungal species and
form new fungi. favored over sexual reproduction.
6. Spores: Spores are released to a suitable area for 7. Stolon: A stolon is a connective outgrowth
(hyphae) from one fungus mycelium to another. If the
growth. Through cell division, the haploid cells stolon of one fungus meets with another, and they are
multiplyto create the adult fungus, which is also opposite mating types, they will form a gametangia
haploid. where their haploid nuclei will come together,
forming a diploid zygote, and then a zygospore. This
zygospore undergoes meiosis and releases haploid
spores that grow into new fungus

How do fungi reproduce asexually by

budding?
Diversity of the Fungi Kingdom
Describe the four types of fungi: 1. Club fungi
1. Club: tour of the fungi kingdom begins with the 2. Sac fungi: The second type of fungi are sac fungi.
fungi you are most familiar with. These are called the They include truffles, morels, cup fungi, and yeasts.
club fungi and they include mushrooms, toadstools, Sac fungi carry their spores in asci, which are
puffballs, bracket fungi, "earth stars," rust, or smuts. microscopic structures on their fruiting bodies. These
What is unique about the club fungi is the way they fruiting bodies come in numerous shapes. Some are
disperse their spores. Many, like mushrooms, have cup-shaped, club-shaped, potato-like, seed-like, or
spores within the gills of their club-shaped fruiting oozing and pimple-like!
bodies. While others, like puffballs, release their 3. Imperfect fungi
spores in a cloud when their fruiting body bursts 4. Zygote fungi: Lastly, zygote fungi include the
open. bread and water molds. Molds are frequent invaders
2. Sac fungi to rotting foods and plants, while water molds,
3. Imperfect fungi: The third type of fungi are like Ichthyophthirius multifilis, cause a common scale
imperfect fungi. Species within this group can disease to fish in many aquariums. Most zygote
produce the antibiotic penicillin while other species species follow traditional sexual and asexual
cause athlete's foot and ringworm. In addition, some reproduction cycles of fungi. They release spores
species are used to make Roquefort and Camembert from their fruiting bodies with sporangia at the ends.
cheeses. These fungi are named imperfect because
scientists cannot figure out how they reproduce
sexually. Many imperfect species do not produce
spores, so scientists are still baffled by their asexual
reproductive cycles as well.

4. Zygote fungi
The Roles of Fungi in Ecosystems
As decomposers, is the primary role of fungi? As decomposers, their primary role in ecosystems is
to recycle important organic molecules for the direct
benefit of plants, bacteria, and other fungi.
Describe six ways that Fungi are beneficial.
Anthill
Ants consume fungus when they eat leaves and
plants. It helps with their digestion. They also carry
this fungus into their anthills on their bodies. The
fungus grows inside the anthill and helps with the
structural stability of the mound. It also breaks down
dead organic materials that may collect in the hill.
This symbiotic relationship is mutualistic because
both species benefit from the alliance.
 Tree Trunk
Termites need fungus in their guts to digest the
cellulose in wood and leaves. The fungus benefits
when the termite spreads it to other areas of the tree.

Soil
Many bacteria and fungi act as decomposers in the
soil. It is a mutualistic relationship. Each organism
supplies the other with broken-down food for
consumption.

Garden
Fungus is a requirement for healthy gardens and
crops. They return nutrients to the soil but they also
limit or kill harmful pests, bacteria, or other fungi that
can destroy crops. Some fertilizers and insecticides
used in agriculture have these helpful fungal species
within them.

Kitchen of a House
We need fungus for making bread, fermenting beer
and wine, and creating a variety of cheeses and cured
meats. We also use eat them in many food dishes,
such as pizzas or chicken marsala. Unfortunately, our
relationship with fungus is often commensalistic; we
benefit from the pairing, but the fungus is usually
destroyed in the process.

Medicine Cabinet of a House

We use fungi to make antibiotics and other
medications that treat illnesses or diseases. One
example is penicillin, a common antibiotic that kills
bacterial infections. Another example is the hepatitis
B vaccine to prevent the hepatitis viral infection.

Sample Question:
How would an ecosystem be removed if fungi were removed from the environment?

A. There would be an increase in plant life.

B. Nutrients would not be recycled back into the environment.
C. Animal life would increase.
 D. All factors would stay the same.
What do you remember about the four types of fungi from the video tour?

Terms
 club fungi
 imperfect fungi
 sac fungi
 zygote fungi

Descriptions
 These fungi carry their spores in their gills.
 This fungal type contains common bread molds.
 Scientists don't know how species in this fungal type reproduce sexually.
 This fungal type has species that release spores in clouds.
 Fungal species of this type can be cup-shaped, seed-like, or oozing.
 Species from this group make the antibiotic penicillin.

Fungi Self-Check (Answers) Text Version

What do you remember about the four types of fungi from the video tour?

 These fungi carry their spores in their gills.

Correct answer: club fungi

 This fungal type contains common bread molds.

Correct answer: zygote fungi

 Scientists don't know how species in this fungal type reproduce sexually.

Correct answer: imperfect fungi

 This fungal type has species that release spores in clouds.

Correct answer: club fungi

 Fungal species of this type can be cup-shaped, seed-like, or oozing.

Correct answer: sac fungi

 Species from this group make the antibiotic penicillin.

Correct answer: imperfect fungi

Fungus are eukaryotic, multicellular organism that look like plants, but are heterotrophs like animals. There
were once incorrectly categorized as plants, but after careful examination, scientists placed them into their own
kingdom. Fungi have common structures such as rhizoids and hyphae, which assist with structural support,
water absorption, food consumption, and reproduction. They reproduce both sexually and asexually and can be
distinguished from one another by their fruiting bodies.

Fungi serve many roles in ecosystems. They are decomposers and have many symbiotic relationships with
other organisms that support  the survival of both. The absence of fungi from an ecosystem would mark a
decline in plant growth and a loss of species that need fungal species for daily living.

When you have completed this lesson, you should be able to:

1. describe basic fungus structure and reproduction

2. identify the four main types of fungi
3. describe how fungi obtain nutrients
4. recognize the role fungi play in the ecosystem

Now it is time to complete the assessment for this lesson. Contact your instructor if you have questions or need
additional help.