Overview of Fungi: Structure, Reproduction, and Ecology

What type of organism are fungi classified as?

Eukaryotic

What are the primary components of fungal cell walls?

Chitin

Are fungi mostly unicellular or multicellular?

Mostly multicellular, with some unicellular forms like yeasts.

What is the nutritional mode of fungi?

Always heterotrophic, often functioning as saprophytes.

What structures do fungi have that are essential for their growth?

Hyphae, which form mycelia.

What are the two types of hyphae found in fungi?

Septate and Aseptate (Coenocytic) hyphae.

What is the role of mycorrhizae in fungi?

They form mutualistic associations with plant roots.

What are the two main types of mycorrhizal fungi?

Ectomycorrhizal fungi and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

What type of reproduction do fungi use for asexual reproduction?

Simple mitosis of haploid cells.

What are Deuteromycetes?

Fungi that do not have a known sexual reproduction stage.

What is plasmogamy in fungal sexual reproduction?

The fusion of cytoplasm from two parent mycelia.

What is karyogamy in fungal reproduction?

The fusion of nuclei from two parent cells.

What is the Opisthokont clade?

A clade that includes fungi and their closest relatives.

Name one of the five main phyla of fungi.

Chytridomycota (Chytrids), Zygomycota (Zygote Fungi), Glomeromycota, Ascomycota (Sac Fungi), or Basidiomycota (Club Fungi).

What are the characteristics of Chytrids?

Good decomposers, ubiquitous in the environment, usually aquatic, and have flagellated spores (zoospores).

What do Zygomycetes form during reproduction?

Zygosporangia.

What distinguishes Glomeromycetes?

They are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and were once thought to be Zygomycetes.

What do Ascomycetes produce asexual spores in?

Conidia.

What are the fruiting bodies of Ascomycetes called?

Ascocarps.

What do Basidiomycetes produce sexual spores in?

Basidia.

What are the fruiting bodies of Basidiomycetes called?

Basidiocarps.

What is the ecological role of fungi as decomposers?

They are important as saprophytes and form mutualistic associations with many organisms.

What are some ways fungi impact humans?

They can be human pathogens, attack crops, are important in food preparation, produce mycotoxins, and many antibiotics come from fungi.