Kingdom Fungi
Organisms of the Kingdom Fungi are multicellular eukaryotes. Fungi are heterotrophic which means they cannot make their own food. They are very good decomposers and recyclers. They feed on the remains of dead animals and plants and change dead things into substances like humus. Soil that contains humus allows plants to grow strong and gives homes to thousands of living organisms. Fungi store glycogen and have cell walls made out of chitin which surround strings of cells called hyphae. Most of the fungi has haploid cells and the body of fungus is called the mycelium. That part grows underground. Fungi are more closely related to the Kingdom Animalia than the Kingdom Plantae. There are four Phylums that make up the Kingdom Fungi: Chytridomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota.
Phylum Chytridomycota
is a primitive, aquatic fungi. They are decomposers and parasites. During asexual reproduction sporangia produce flagellated zoospores. During sexual reproduction two zoospores fuse their bodies together. The diploid zygote goes through meiosis once, then mitosis, and grows to produce new zoospores. They have rhizoids as their roots. Phylum Ascomycota
also known as sac fungi. This is the largest group of fungi with roughly 60,000 species including powdery mildew, yeast, and penicillium. These fungi can be quite large, so humans can consume them such as the highly sought after morel mushroom. They reproduce asexually and have conidiophores which produce condia spores. The ascocarp, fruiting body, produces sacs such as asci. and those contain sexual spores called ascospores. |
Phylum Zygomycota
has roughly 1,000 species of Zygomycetes. There are many nuclei found within the cytoplasm of them. One group of zygomycetes makes mychorrhizae, which is a helpful fungi that benefits plant roots growing on them or in them. During asexual reproduction they reproduce through asexual spores called sporangia. During sexual reproduction hyphae from two different mates produce gametangia, fuse, and make a diploid zygosporangium and zygospore. The zygospore goes through meiosis and creates haploid sporangia. Phylum Basidiomycota
also known as club fungi. For the most part, they only reproduce sexually. They form fruiting bodies called basidiocarps, also known as mushrooms. Inside basidiocarps there are thousands of tiny cells called basidia. Each basidia produces four sexual spores. The higher club fungi has fruting bodies, but the lower does not. This is the only fungus that has clamp connections. Clamp connections are a structure on certain fungi that ensure each cell receives a differing set of nuclei, which are obtained through mating of female and male hyphae. |
Phylum Deuteromycota
are often not considered a phylum and usually forgotten about. They are also called the imperfect fungi. Their sexual cycle is unknown and have mycorrhizal association with plant roots. This helps them reach water and nutrients they never would have been able to reach.
are often not considered a phylum and usually forgotten about. They are also called the imperfect fungi. Their sexual cycle is unknown and have mycorrhizal association with plant roots. This helps them reach water and nutrients they never would have been able to reach.
References
"Fungus Kingdom." Fungus Kingdom. Web. 4 Dec. 2014. <http://www.zephyrus.co.uk/funguskingdom.html
"Fungus Kingdom." Fungus Kingdom. Web. 4 Dec. 2014. <http://www.zephyrus.co.uk/funguskingdom.html