Chapter 7.4: FUNGI

How do fungi affect humans & other organisms?

-Many provide foods for people -Fungi play important roles as DECOMPOSERS and recyclers on Earth. -Some CAUSE disease while others FIGHT disease -Other fungi live in symbiosis with other organisms

How do most fungi reproduce?

Asexually and sexually.

What do fungi need to exist?

Moist and warm environments?

What are fruiting bodies?

The structure of the fungi where spores are reproduced

Describe Zygote Fungi

-Produce VERY resistant spores -EX: many common fruit and bread molds

Describe fungi sexual reproduction

-The hyphae of 2 fungi grow together -Genetic material is exchanged -A new reproductive structure grows from the joined hyphae & produces spores. -The spores develop into fungi that differ genetically from either parent.

Describe Sac Fungi

-They produce spores in structures that look like long sacs -Largest group of fungi -Ex: yeasts, morels, and truffles

What are hyphae?

-branching threadlike tubes -make up the bodies of multicellular fungi

What characteristics do fungi share?

-eukaryotes that have cell walls -heterotrophs that feed by absorbing their food -use spores to reproduce

Describe Club Fungi

-produce spores in tiny club like structures -Ex: mushrooms, rusts, and puffballs

How are the cells of a bread mold arranged? How are the cells of a mushroom arranged?

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How does the cell structure of a fungus help it obtain food?

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List 3 characterists that a bread mold shares with a mushroom

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Name 6 roles that fungi play in nature

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Suppose all the fungi in a forest disappeared. What do you think the forest would be like without fungi?

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What role do spores play in the reproduction of fungi?

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Why is it advantageous to a fungus to produce millions of spores?

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Describe the 3 step process how fungi absorb food.

1st: Fungus grows hyphae into food source 2nd: Digestive chemicals ooze from hyphae into the food 3rd: The chemicals break down the food into small substances that can be absorbed by the hyphae.

Name a disease CAUSING fungi

Athlete's foot fungus, ringworm (can spread person to person)

What is budding?

Budding is a form of asexual reproduction which no spores are produced. A small cell is grows from the body of a parent cell similar to a bud on a tree branch. It breaks away and lives on its own.

Describe the fungi asexual reproduction

Cells at the tips of hyphae divide to form spores. Spores grow into fungi that are genetically identical to the parent.

In the simplest fungi, the cells are arranged in structures called ___________.

Hyphae

What is LICHEN?

It consists of a fungus and either algae or autotrophic bacteria. -Grow on tree barks or rocks (seen in Wichita Mtns)

Name a disease FIGHTING fungi

Penicillium (Discovered by Scottish biologist, Alexander Fleming, in 1928)

How do substances move through hyphae?

Quickly and freely

What are the 3 major groups of fungi?

Sac fungi, club fungi, and zygote fungi

How are lichens useful?

They breakdown rock into soil which other organisms can grow. They are useful as indicators of air pollution. (They die when air pollution rises)

How do fungi reproduce?

They usually reproduce by making spores. Lightweight spores are surrounded by a protective covering and can be carried easily through the air or water to new sites.

Why are they called "pioneer" organisms?

They were the 1st organisms to appear on bare rocks in an area after a volcanic eruption, fire, or rock slide.

Where can you find fungi?

moist foods, damp tree barks, lawns coated with dew, wet bathroom tiles