Kingdom Fungi Flashcards
1
Q
How many species are known?
A
More than 100 000
2
Q
What environmentally important role do fungi play?
A
- Play the role of decomposers
- They enrich the soil by converting remains of dead organisms into essential nutrients
3
Q
How they contribute
A
- Source of many antibiotics
- Carry out process of fermentation which helps make bread and alcohol
4
Q
Structure
A
- Most multicellular but a few unicellular
- Eukaryotic
- Have a cell wall surrounding the cell membrane, these walls are made up of a polysaccharide called ‘chitin’ (like insect shells)
- Bodies made up of hyphae (like roots) which search out and absorb food
- As hyphae grow, they branch, forming a tangled mass of filaments called a mycelium
5
Q
Feeding Patterns
A
- Heterotrophic, they digest food externally using the enzymes secreted by hyphae
- Fungi can be mutualistic
6
Q
Saprophytes
A
- Most fungi are
- Decomposers that break down decaying mater
7
Q
Parasites
A
- Some fungi are parasites since they feed on living host organism
- Can cause diseases like athlete’s foot and ringworm
8
Q
Symbiotic relationship
A
Relationships where two organisms benefit from each other
9
Q
Lichen
A
- Symbiotic relationship
- fungi associated with algae or Cyanobacteria
- Lichens can be used to monitor air pollution
10
Q
How do fungi and algae or cyanobacteria benefit each other?
A
- Fungus provides CO2 & H2O to the algae/bacteria and the algae/cyanobacteria provide sugar for the fungus
11
Q
Micorrhizae
A
- Symbiotic relationship
- Fungi that are associated (grow with) with the roots of plants
12
Q
How do fungi and roots of plants benefit each other?
A
- Fungus helps the plant get nutrients from the soil, and the plant provides sugars for the fungi to grow
13
Q
Importance of Fungi to humans
A
- yeast fungi are used to make bread, wine, beer using process of fermentation
- Penicillium fungi produce the antibiotic penicillin
- Aspergillus fungi produce flavours that are used in soft drinks
- Club-like mushrooms and truffles are used as food
14
Q
Case-like fungi (phylum: zygomycetes)
A
- Produce case-like sacs containing spores
- ie. bread mould
15
Q
Sac-like fungi (phylum: ascomycetes)
A
- Produce small finger-like sacs containing spores
- ie. mildew, truffles, yeast, penicillium, athlete’s foot fungus, yeast infections
