Kingdom Fungi and Kingdom Plantae

Differences

$ at one time fungus was a part of the Plant Kingdom

$ fungus is not anchored to the ground by roots like plants

$ in most cases, fungus does not contain cellulose in their cell walls

$ fungus are consumers and do not photosynthesize

Similarities

$ eukaryotic

$ have many organelles

$ cell walls

$ do not move like animals

$ both can reproduce by spores

Kingdom Fungi

Characteristics

$ cells are eukaryotic

$ digestion is extracellular (food is digested before being absorbed)

$ in multicellular forms, food absorption takes place in the mycellium a branch of mesh of microscopic filaments that are called hypha (hyphae)

$ most hypha have cell walls that are reinforced by chitin

$ all fungi are heterotrophs

$ reproduce asexually, sexually or both

$ fungi are found in dark, warm, moist location that are rich in organic matter.

General Life Cycle

$ Fungi reproduce both asexually and sexually, but always produce spores

$ spores are small reproductive cells that disperse by air currents

$ spores have a haploid chromosome number - which is one-half of the full complement of chromosomes necessary to make a new individual

$ spores are surrounded by a thick , resistant outer covering to protect them from unfavorable conditions.

Sexual Reproduction

$ begins when haploid cells called gametes from two mating strains undergo cytoplasmic fusion.

$ the gametes are produced in specialized reproductive structures called gametangia (single: gametangium)

$ In some fungi, such as mushrooms, the nuclei of the gametes may not fuse, but will divide independently.

$ this stage in mushrooms is called the dikaryotic stage and may last for generations

$ when nuclear fusion occurs a zygote with a diploid chromosome number (a full complement of chromosomes) will be formed

$ this is a short lived stage; the zygote undergoes nuclear division to produce new haploid hyphae

Asexual Reproduction

$ begins with the production of spores in specialized structures called sporangia (single: sporangium)

$ spores have the potential to germinate into new hyphae

$ Fungi may also reproduce asexually by fragmentation - breaking apart of the hyphae

$ single-celled fungi such as yeast, can reproduce asexually by forming acrospores

Fungal Diversity

$ examples: mushrooms, club fungi, and puff balls are multicellular

$ yeast is a single cell

$ supposedly, Washington State has the largest living organism (fungus):

Armillaria ostoyae, which is approximately 600 hectares

$ fungi are adapted for two main purposes

1). Absorption of nutrients

2). Reproduction

$ vegetative portion of fungus is usually below the surface

$ the only visible structures of the fungus is the reproductive structures

Page 441 Read and make your own notes on the Classification of Fungi

Fungi Symbionts

$ fungus benefit from the symbiotic relationship

$ fungi and algae makes lichens

$ types of lichens are:

Old man=s beard

Reindeer moss

British soldiers

$ lichens are two organism in one

$ fungi and plant roots - mycorrhizae