Science 8 — Chapter 5: The Fungus Kingdom

Question-and-answer flashcards covering key concepts, classifications, structures, and processes of the Fungus Kingdom from Chapter 5 of Science 8.

What are the seven phyla within the Fungus Kingdom?

1. chytrids

2. bread molds

3. root fungi

4. sac fungi

5. club fungi

6. micro fungi

7. anaerobic fungi

The Fungus Kingdom is classified under which domain?

Domain Eukarya.

What is unique about the ribosomes and RNA of fungi?

They are similar to those of animals, and their RNA is very similar to animal RNA.

What is chitin in fungi, and where else is it found in nature?

A strong, flexible material found in fungal cell walls. It is also found in the hard outer skeletons of insects and other arthropods.

How are fungi classified?

According to the shape of their spore-producing structures.

What are eight key characteristics of fungi?

1. They have cell walls made of chitin

2. They do not make their own food

3. They absorb food

4. They have threadlike filaments with rigid walls called hyphae

5. They reproduce by spores

6. They are eukaryotic

7. They obtain nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes outside their cells and absorbing the nutrients

8. They may be decomposers, parasites, or live in symbiotic relationships.

What are three characteristics of fungal hyphae?

1. they are long, threadlike filaments

2. they have cell walls

3. they grow through or over the material from which the fungus obtains nutrients.

What are septa in fungi, and what role do they play?

Walls or partitions that divide hyphae into smaller compartments. Pores in the septa allow materials to move between compartments.

What are fruiting bodies made of, and what are their main functions?

They are structures made of densely packed hyphae that produce and release spores for reproduction.

What are exoenzymes and how do they function in fungi?

Enzymes secreted by fungi outside their cells that digest food externally, allowing the fungus to absorb the resulting nutrients.

What are chytrids and what kind of spores do they produce?

Fungi that usually live in aquatic environments, including freshwater and salt water, and produce motile spores with a single flagellum.

Where do some chytrids cause diseases?

In plants and animals, including frogs and other amphibians.

How do bread molds grow and produce spores?

By spreading threadlike hyphae through the food, and they produce spores in dark, round structures.

What types of food are bread molds known for spoiling?

Bread and can also spoil fruits and vegetables.

What are root fungi, and what is the beneficial relationship they form called?

Root fungi live in close association with plant roots, forming a usually beneficial relationship called mycorrhizae.

What do root fungi provide to plants?

They help plants absorb water and minerals from the soil.

What percentage of land plants live in union with root fungi?

About $80\%$ of all land plants have root fungi living in and around their roots.

Why are sac fungi named the way they are?

For their sac-shaped spore-producing structures.

How many kinds of sac fungi have been discovered by scientists?

Scientists have discovered more than $64{,}000$ kinds of sac fungi, making them a very large and diverse group of fungi.

What are three plant diseases caused by sac fungi?

1. Dutch elm disease

2. Apple scab

3. Chestnut blight.

What are lichens, and what role does each partner play?

A symbiotic partnership between a fungus and an algae (or a photosynthetic partner). The algae makes food, while the fungus provides protection and helps collect water and minerals.

What is fermentation?

The process by which yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

What type of sac fungi is responsible for fermentation?

Yeasts.

Which two sac-like fungi are used as foods for humans?

Morels and truffles.

What are the four main parts of a mushroom?

1. The cap

2. The gill

3. The stem

4. The underground mycelium

What is the function of the gills in a mushroom?

They produce and release spores.

What is the function of the cap in a mushroom?

It protects the gills and the developing spores.

What is the function of the stem in a mushroom?

It supports and elevates the cap, helping spores disperse.

What is the distinction between a mushroom's fruiting body and its mycelium?

The fruiting body is the visible mushroom above the ground (including cap, gills, and stem), while the mycelium is the network of hyphae growing through the soil beneath the surface.