Kingdom Fungi
What are Fungi?
• Fungi are NOT PLANTS
• Study of fungi = mycology
• Defined as a
– single or multi-celled eukaryote with
heterotrophic, absorptive nutrition,
chitinous cell walls, and which stores
energy as glycogen.
Characteristics
• Heterotrophic
– Cannot make own food
• Absorptive nutrition
– Produce enzymes that break down food outside
body
– Then absorb small molecules released by enzymes
Characteristics
• Cell walls made of chitin
– 2 general growth patterns
• Single cells: example is yeast
• Hyphae: example mushrooms
• Reproduce by spores
• Vital role in ecosystem
– Decomposers
– Symbiotic
– Predators
– Cordycepes: The Killer Fungus
Structure & Function
• Hyphae
–
–
–
–
–
Tubular
Long, slender branching filaments
Hard wall of Chitin
Crosswalls may form compartments
Grow at tips
Structure & Function
• Fruiting Body
– Reproductive structure
– Grows from mycelium
• Mycelium
– Mass of branching
hyphae below soil
• Example: Mushroom
Fungal Structure Video
Fruiting Body and Mycelium
Reproduce by Spores
• Spores are reproductive cells
– Sexual: plus (+) and minus (-)
– Asexual: budding or breaking hyphae
• Formed
– Directly on hyphae
– Inside sporangia
– Fruiting bodies
Above: Hyphae
Middle: sporangia
Far Left: fruiting body
Hyphal growth from spore
Germinating
spore
Mycelium
Mycelia have a huge surface area
Asexual Reproduction
Sexual Reproduction
Diversity of Fungi
Classified by their reproductive structures
Phylum Basidiomycota
“Club Fungi”
Gills with Basidia
Cap
Rhizoids
Spores
Released!
Phylum Ascomycota
“Sac Fungi”
Baker’s Yeast
Penicillium
Morels
True Morel
False Morel
Asci with ascopores
Phylum Zygomycota
Mycorrhizae
Rhizopus mycelium
Bread Mold with sporangia
Zygospore
Ecological Role
• Decomposers
– break down complex molecules into sugars
or consume sugars found in environment.
– Examples
• Common bread molds
• Shelf fungi
• White button mushrooms
Ecological Role
• Symbiotic Fungi
– receive their energy (carbohydrates)
directly from a plant or algal partner.
• Examples
– mycorrhizal fungi (live on plant roots)
• 90% of all plants have fungal relationship
– lichens (contain algae)
"The Rotten World
About Us"