Fungi (ch23)

These flashcards cover key concepts regarding the characteristics, reproduction, and ecological roles of fungi, as discussed in the lecture.

Eukaryotic, filamentous body, absorptive heterotrophs.

What are the three main characteristics of fungi?

Carbohydrates like chitin and proteins like B-glucan.

What are fungi’s cell walls made of?

By breaking down organic material, as they are absorptive heterotrophs.

How do fungi gain energy?

An aggregate of hyphae that forms the body of most fungi.

What is mycelium?

Via spores through asexual reproduction (by mitosis) and sexual reproduction (by meiosis).

What are the two main reproductive strategies of fungi?

The fusion of cytoplasm of two parent cells

What is plasmogamy?

Between 2.2 to 3.8 million.

How many species of fungi are estimated to exist?

Mutualistic associations between fungi and plant roots.

What are mycorrhizae?

Form symbioses with tree species, part of nutrient and carbon cycles in forests.

What is the ecological role of ectomycorrhizae?

A symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants where mycelium penetrate root cells and enhance nutrient uptake, confer drought resistance, and promote plant health.

What are arbuscular mycorrhizae?

Ectomycorrhizae (EM) and arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM).

What two major types of mycorrhizae exist?

Fungi can help to clean up toxic spills.

What role do fungi play in bioremediation?

Fungi decompose plant material, are used in food and medicine, and offer ecological benefits.

What are some examples of beneficial fungi to humans?

Yeasts

What type of fungi are unicellular?

A high surface area / volume ratio that maximizes nutrient absorption and efficient growth.

What is an advantage of hyphae being filamentous and one cell thick?

Fungi secrete enzymes to digests organic matter outside of their body and then absorb the nutrients through the hyphae.

How do fungi feed?

Decomposers, parasites, and mutualists.

What are some examples of lifestyles fungi have?

Can reproduce via asexual and sexual reproduction.

How do fungi reproduce?

Mycelium forms haploid spore-producing structures.

What is the first step of asexual reproduction in fungi?

Spore-producing structures release spores into the environment.

What is the second step of asexual reproduction in fungi?

The spores germinate and grow into new mycelium.

What is the third step of asexual reproduction in fungi?

Haploid mycelia through plasmogamy, where the two organisms’ cytoplasm fuses.

What is the first step of sexual reproduction in fungi?

The heterokaryotic stage, where two unfused haploid nuclei from different parents coexist in the same cell.

What is the second stage of sexual reproduction in fungi?

The haploid, or n stage.

What is the first stage of sexual reproduction in fungi?

Karyogamy, where the two separate nuclei fuse.

What is the second step of sexual reproduction in fungi?

The diploid, or 2n stage

What is the third stage of sexual reproduction in fungi?

Meiosis, where the diploid nucleus divides and creates spore producing structures which create haploid spores.

What is the third step of sexual reproduction in fungi?

A return to the haploid, or n stage.

What is the fourth stage of sexual reproduction in fungi?

Germination, where the haploid spores develop into new mycelium.

What is the fourth step of sexual reproduction in fungi?

Cross walls in the cell

What are septa?

Specialized

Fungi have [blank] hyphae

90

Fungi are beneficial to humans as they decompose [blank] percent of plant material in ecosystems

The process of using organisms such as fungi to remove or neutralize pollutants from the environment.

What is bioremediation?

Increase water and phosphorus uptake, receive protection from pathogens and nemaodes

What do plants receive from mycorrhizae?

Carbohydrates and vitamins

What do fungi receive from mycorrhizae?

90

Approximately what percent of plants are infected with mycorrhizae?

5,000 (likely more)

At least what number of species of fungi are involved in ectomycorrhizal relationships?

They surround but do not penetrate the cell walls of the roots

How do ectomycorrhizae interact with plant roots?

70%

Arbuscular mycorrhizae are found in the roots of what percent of plant species?

Their hyphae penetrate the cells of the plant root.

How do arbuscular mycorrhizae interact with plant roots?

Arbuscular mycorrhizae

What type of mycorrhizae are present in the earliest plant fossils?

Chytrids

What were the earliest type of fungi?

Chytrids

What type of fungi have motile spores, which possess flagella?

Zygote fungi

What were the second earliest type of fungi?

Zygomycota

What type of fungi possess zygosporangia?

Sac fungi and club fungi

What are the two most recent type of fungi?

Ascomycota

What is the phyla for sac fungi?

Basidiomycota

What is the phyla for club fungi?

Water or moist soil

Where do chytrids live?

Rigid, made of chitin

Chytrids have what type of cell wall?

Chytrids

Some of this phyla of fungi are single, spherical cells that may produce hyphae

Chytrids

Most of this phyla are decomposers, but some are parasites and pathogens.

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

What type of fungi is associated with declining frog populations?

Chytrids

What phyla do Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis come from?

Zygomycetes

Most of this class of fungi are decomposers, but some are parasites

Aseptae, which means they lack septa

Zygomycetes have what type of hyphae?

Reproductive structures

Zygomycetes have distinct [blank]?

Black bread mold.

Rhizopus stolonifer is a zygomycete, which is better known as

The zygospore

Zygomycetes reproduce using what structure?

Simple pores

Ascomycetes’ hyphae is subdivided by septa with what?

Asci

Ascomycetes have unique sporangia called what?

Ascopores

Asci produce sexual spores called what?

Ascocarps

Asci are produced on fruiting bodies called what?

Terrestrial and aquatic

Ascomycetes occur in what kinds of habitats?

Decomposers and plant pathogens

Ascomycetes play different ecological roles such as

Ascomycota

Powdery mildews, chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease and apple scab all come from what phyla of fungi?

Complex pores

Basidiomycetes have hyphae subdivided by septa with what?

most

Basidiomycetes are the [blank] recently diverged group along with Ascomycetes

Decomposers

Basidiomycetes are important [blank] and mycorrhizal partners

Basidiomycota

What phyla of fungi produce mushrooms, puffballs, stinkhorns, shelf fungi, rusts and smuts as fruiting bodies?

Basidiocarps

What is the name for the fruiting body that Basidiomycetes produce?

Basidiospores

What is the name of the type of sexual spores that basidia produce?