Fungi Flashcards
1
Q
What are some key attributes of fungi?
A
- Heterotrophs
- Key player in decomposition
- Most are multicellular
- Most produce spores for reproduction (and dispersal)
- Made up of hyphea
- Cell walls made of chitin
- Prefer slightly acidic soils
- sensitive to physical disturbance
2
Q
Describe fungal hyphae
A
- thin filaments making up the fungus
- Initiate from spores
- Long, thread-like chains of cells divided by septate
- Grow at the tips and branch
- Mycelium- mass of hyphae
3
Q
What are other preferences of fungi (environemtal…)?
A
- Grow better in highly aggregated soils
- More in no till
- More in aerobic environment
- More in dry than moist
- More in slighlty acidic soils
- More in perenials
- More in forests
- More in forest floor
4
Q
What is a mycorrhizae?
A
Symbiosis between a fungus and a plant
Fungus will get sugars from the plant
Plant would get nutrients en water (increase soil volume access to different forms of nutrients, breakdown phenolic compounds e.g. lignin)
Also increase drought tolerance , protection from disease and other pathogens
5
Q
What are different types of mycorrhizae?
A
- ericoid mycorrhizae
- Ectomucorrhizae
- Arbuscular (endo mycorrhizae)
- Orchid mycohizae
6
Q
What are morphological characteristics of arbuscular mycorrhizae?
A
- Fungus grow inside plant cells
- for like little trees (exchange site)
- Have vesicle= storage unit
- Make spores (reproduction unit)
7
Q
What are other characteristics of arbuscular mycorrhizae?
A
- oldest mycorrhizal type
- Most terrestrial plants (more than 80% ) have AMF
- grasses, agricultural crops, shrubs, legumes - Inorganic nutrients, mostly P
- Obligate symbionts, not host specific
8
Q
What are characteristics of ectomycorrhizae?
A
- fungus grows in between plant cells (Hartig net- di not penetrate cells like AMF )
- Plant members: woody plants and conifers
- Fruiting bodies
- larger hyphal network compared to AMF
- Enzymes, access to organic N, SOM decomposers
