Generated Review for Fungi and Ecology Quiz

What are the two main classifications of fungi mentioned?

Glomeromycota (most ancient) and Microsporidia (not considered true fungi by all).

What is the most common unicellular fungus?

Yeast.

What structures do most fungi use for reproduction?

Fruiting bodies such as toadstools, puffballs, and tree fungi.

What is the structure of hyphae in fungi?

Hyphae are filaments that can be continuous or branched tubes, with cells joined end-to-end and connected by septa.

What is mycelium in fungi?

Mycelium is a mass connection of hyphae, which may be interwoven.

What is the composition of fungal cell walls?

Fungal cell walls are made of chitin, similar to the exoskeleton of insects.

What types of nuclei can fungi have?

Fungi can have monokaryotic, dikaryotic (2 nuclei), or multiple nuclei in some hyphae.

How do fungi obtain nutrients?

Fungi are heterotrophs that rely on other organisms for nutrients, often absorbing them after secreting digestive solutions.

What is the role of mycorrhizae in fungi?

Mycorrhizae live in plant roots and assist in water and mineral absorption, while plants provide energy to the fungi.

What is a lichen?

A symbiotic relationship between fungi and a photosynthetic organism, often green algae or cyanobacteria.

What are some harmful effects of fungi on humans?

Fungi can cause diseases in immune-compromised individuals, spoil food products, and produce carcinogenic aflatoxins.

What are the health benefits of fungi?

Fungi serve as a food source, are nutritious, are used in baking and brewing, and are sources of antibiotics like penicillin.

What is ecology?

Ecology is the study of how organisms relate to each other and to their environment.

What is a population in ecological terms?

A population is one species that occupies a particular area.

What does demographic study in ecology involve?

Demographics involve the quantitative study of population changes over time.

What is exponential growth in populations?

Exponential growth occurs when there are no limits on growth, assuming constant birth and death rates.

What is logistic growth in populations?

Logistic growth occurs when the growth rate slows as the population reaches its carrying capacity.

What is carrying capacity?

Carrying capacity is the maximum population an area can sustain over time based on available resources.

What is the significance of age structures in populations?

Age structures determine the rate of population growth and include three critical groups: post-reproductive, reproductive, and pre-reproductive.

What is a community in ecology?

A community consists of all the species living in a common environment that interact with each other.

What is the difference between fundamental and realized niches?

Fundamental niche is the potential area a species can occupy, while realized niche is the actual area occupied, limited by factors like competition.

What is competitive exclusion?

Competitive exclusion is the elimination of less efficient species due to more efficient resource use.

What is resource partitioning?

Resource partitioning is the subdivision of niches to limit competition, often resulting from natural selection.

What is the predator-prey relationship?

Predation is the consumption of one organism by another, which can affect population cycles.

Spacing with in a population

• Clumped - Elephants

• Uniform - Hawks

• Random - Dandelions