Chapter 28-1 Review

Describe dimorphism.

Dimorphism is the ability for a fungus to change its form in certain conditions. For example, Histoplasma capsulatum, is a fungus that normally grows as a mycelium, but can change its form when it invades a human. The increased temperature and available nutrients cause the fungus to grow unicellularly as a yeast.

What characteristics make fungi an important resource recycler?

Fungi have hyphae which, when coming in contact with a dead organism, secrete digestive enzymes and absorb the digested nutrients.

How do fungi obtain nutrients?

Fungi live on organic compounds that they absorb from dead organisms. They secrete enzymes and then absorb the digested nutrients through their cell wall.

Compare how fungi obtain nutrients with how protists obtain nutrients.

It really depends: -algae are photosynthetic (fungi are not) -protozoa are heterotrophic or parasitic (fungi are not) - but slime mold can be heterotrophic or saphrophytes So, there are several differences between the obtainment of nutrients, but there can be some similarities.

Based on fossil evidence, scientist think that fungi adapted to land dwelling at about the same time plants did. Explain why fungi might have adapted to land dwelling before plants did.

Some fungi, have the ability to live inside a host, which can id in dispersion, possibly on land.

Why does fungus that reproduces both sexually and asexually have an evolutionary advantage over an organism that reproduces only asexually?

When the environment is favorable, rapid a sexual reproduction ensures an increased spread of the species. However, during environmental stress, sexual reproduction ensures genetic recombination, which increases the likelihood that the offspring will be better adapted tot he new environmental conditions.