Fungi Characteristics

Describe how fungi obtain food.

Fungi are heterotrophs and absorb food through hyphae that grow in the food source. After the hyphae has grown in the food source the digestive chemicals ooze from the hyphae into the food. The chemicals break down the food into small substances that can be absorbed by the hyphae. Some fungi feed on dead organisms and others are parasites that break down the chemicals in organisms.

Describe Fungi in sexual reproduction.

Fungi can reproduce sexually, especially when conditions are bad. In sexual reproduction, the hyphae of two fungi grow together and genetic material is exchanged. Eventually, a new structure grows from the joined hyphae and produce spores. The fungi differ from each parent.

Describe Reproduction in general for fungi.

Most fungi reproduce asexually and sexually. Usually produce by making spores. The light spores are surrounded by a protective covering and can be carried easily to new sites to grow. They produce millions of spores

What are the three major groups of fungi and how are they classified?

The major groups are the club, sac, and zygote fungi. They are classified by appearance and their reproductive structures. Other groups are water species that produce spores with flagella and those that form tight associations with plant roots.

Describe the basic characteristics of fungi.

They are eukaryotes that have cell walls, are heterotrophs that feed by absorbing their food, and use spores to reproduce.

Describe the Cell structure of Fungi.

They range in size from unicellular yeasts to large multicellular fungi. They are all surrounded by cell walls except for the simplest fungi. The cells of most fungi are arranged in structures called hyphae. Hyphae make up the bodies of multicellular fungi.The hyphae of some fungi are continuous threads of cytoplasm and contain many nuclei. Substances move quickly through hyphae. Fuzzy looking molds have loosely tangled hyphae while in other fungi the hyphae are tightly packed together.

Describe Budding

Unicellular yeasts undergo this form of asexual reproduction. No spores are produced, instead a small yeast cell grows from the parent cell somewhat similar to how a bud forms on a tree branch. The new cell then breaks away and lives on its own.

Describe Fungi in Asexual Reproduction

When there is enough moisture and food, fungi make spores asexually. Cells at the tip of the hyphae divide to form spores. The spores that grow into fungi are identical to the parent.