MIMM 211 - Fungal Spores, Oct 23

How can fungi spread?

Wind, modify animal behaviour and sex life …

Give an example for how fungi can attract animals?

Stinkhorn fungus - produces sticky spore mass that smells like rotting meat so that insect land on the sticky spores and take some spores with them

Give an example for how fungi can control animals?

Fungi from soil colonizes cicada and replaces the abdomen (becomes infertile). Drugs the cicada - males act like females to attract other males, new male gets in contact with the fungi. Can also “mate” with females.

Why do cicadas wait so long to emerge?

So that the viruses and pathogens that may attack them will no longer be present

What are the steps for wind based spore transport?

Spore formation, spore release, spore trans

How do Basidiospores form?

Germination, Plasmogamy, Mitosis, Karyogamy, Meiosis, Cell division, Dispersal and germination

Why do fungi create gills, pores or folds?

To give more surface area for spore formation

How are basidiospores released?

Spore secretes liquid at the apiculus, grows to become Buller’s drop, water layer forms on top of spores, when the two liquids meet, the surface tension catapults the spores away.

How do fungi create their own wind to spread spores?

Water evaporation cool the air (up to 5 degrees less) which creates a convection cell which makes the spores fly away from the fruiting body

** other type of fungi spore with the wind - the shock of contact/knowing when the wind is

How do Ascomycetes create spores?

1. Plasmogamy and Mitosis

2. Karyogamy

3. Meiosis

4. Mitosis and cell division (aspospores)

OR they can reproduce asexually

What are three different types of ascocarp>

Apothecium (cup). Perithecium, Cleistotheum (grenade)

Do all fungi need wind?

No

What kind of hyphae do Zygomycetous fungi have?

Non septated

What is the life cycle of the zygomycetous?

**

How do Zygomyce

Can fungi wipe out species? How?

Yes, fungi contributed to the extinction of dinosaurs. After the asteroid strike, there were many fungi present - boom in fungal growth. Many dinosaurs contaminated with fungal infections which were not thermoregulated unlike mammals.

Are fungi still shaping our world?

Yes, there is a mass extinction event going on right now

Which species are causing a mass extinction?

Bd and Bsal

How are fungi causing extinction?

Infection amphibian skin, disrupts functions and leads to cardiac arrest

What caused this fungal extinction?

Originate in Asia, fueled by international trade - frogs from Asia

Which class of organism is causing this mass extinction event?

Chytrids

Why is frog extinction and chytrids bad for us?

Cultural loss, frogs eat mosquitos which carry parasites which can cause malaria etc

How do pine trees die from a fungal infection?

Beetle carry a fungus all over their body - they inoculate a tree with the spores and their eggs. Tree phloem is compromised and gets colonized by the fungus.

How did Montreal bring in a new fungus to Mont Royal?

After cutting trees down for “morality”, they planted Norway maple trees which are susceptible to black tar spot while Canadian maples which are relatively resistant