ch 30 Flashcards
Why are fungi important for terrestrial ecosystems ?
- They break down organic material and recycle nutrients, allowing other organisms to assimilate essential chemical elements
What makes a fungi heterotrophs
- hetetrophs cannot make their own food like plants and algae, a fungus absorbs nutrients from the environment outside its body
How do fungis absorb nutrients
they secrete hydrolytic enzymes into their surroundings and these enzymes break down molecules to smaller ones that the fungi can absorb into their cells and use.
What are decomposers
fungi that break down and absorb nutrients from non living material
what is parasitic fungi
absorb nutrients from cells of living hosts
what is mutualistic
fungi that absorb from a host but reciprocate actions that also benefit the host
Hyphae
tubular cell walls that allow for absorption of nutrients and is strengthened by chitin
why is chitin important
it balances pressure preventing bursting of cells by osmosis
what is mycellium
a network of hyphae
what is haustoria
a specialized hyphae
Fungi are more closely related to_
Unicellular nucleariids
animals are more closely related to_
unicellular choanoflagellates
What is the 7 phyla of fungi
- cryptomycetes
- microsporidians
- zoopagomycetes
- ascomycetes
- basidiomycetes
- mucormycetes
- chytrid fungi
What is mycorrhizae
plant symbionts that aid in nutrient acquisition
Lichens
symbiosis between photosynthetic organism and fungus, break down surfaces, and can add nitrogen to ecosystems
