Exam 3 - Cont. Flashcards
(115 cards)
are fungi heterotrophs? what makes them different
`yes but they are unique
they do not eat their food the same they acquire food through absorption
secrete enzymes that digest food extracellular and then absorb the resulting nutrients
is fungi more closely related to animals or plants
animals
where are fungi found
in soil and water
can fungi be parasitic
yes
they are essential decomposers in most ecosystems but some are also parasitic
parasitic fungi obtains their nutrients at the expense of plants or animals
what are typically fungi composed of
hyphae
cell wall
what is a fungi hyphae
threadlike filaments which branch repeatedly forming a feeding network known as mycelium
what is the hyphae surrounded by and what is it usually made of
surrounded by the cell wall
the cell wall is usually made of chitin
chitin is strong and flexible made of a nitrogen containing polysaccharide
what are cross walls
the hyphae of the fungi consists of chains of cells separated by cross walls
the cross walls contain pores large enough to permit the exchange of large organelles such as ribosomes mitochondria and nuclei to pass from cell to cell
do all fungi have cross walls
some fungi lack cross walls entirely
so they contain many nuclei within a single mass of cytoplasm
explain fungal mycelium growth
grows at a very rapid pace
branches through food sources and explores new territories
grow longer without corresponding increase in thickness
acts to increase the surface area for secretion of digestive enzymes and absorption
a mycelium can add as much as 1 kilometer of new hyphae each day
does fungi reproduce asexually or sexually
they c an reproduce in both ways
how are the fungal spores transported
a large number of haploid spores are released and are transported over large distances by either wind or water
if the spore lands in a moist environment with a food supply it will germinate producing new fungus
when does sexual reproduction of fungi result
when two haploid mycelia of different mating types release sexual signals growing toward one another and fusing
the cytoplasmic fusion is not immediately followed by fusion of the nuclei this stage is called a heterokaryotic stage
explain the heterokaryotic stage
when cells contain two genetically distinct haploid nuclei
hours days or even centuries may pass before the nuclei fuse giving rise to the generally short lived diploid phase
zygotes undergo meiosis within special reproductive structures producing haploid spores
what are some examples of fungi that can only reproduce asexually
molds and yeasts
called imperfect fungi
describe molds
refers to any rapidly growing fungus that reproduces asexually via spore production
spores are usually at the tips of specialized hyphae
found on rotting fruits and bread
describe yeasts
refers to any single celled fungus reproduce asexually via budding these inhibit moist habitats and liquids animal tissues plant sap
how many fungal species have been described
more then 100 000
maybe even 1.5 million
where did fungi diverge from and when
unikont ancestor more then 1 billion years ago
fossilized evidence exists from 460 million years
how are the fungal species typically classified by
sexual reproductive structures
all but one of the five groups of fungal lack flagellated spores
what are the 5 groups of fungi
chytrids zygomycetes glomeromycetes ascomycetes basidiomycetes
describe chytrids
the only group of fungi with flagellated spores
thought to represent the earliest lineage of fungi
found in lakes ponds and soil
some are decomposers others are parasitic to plants animals or protists
decline in some frog populations attributed to chytrid infection
describe zygomycetes
characterized by their resistant zygosporangium
diverse group that includes fast growing molds like black bread mold
molds that rot produce like strawberries
some are animals parasites
what is the zygosporangium
within this structure haploid spores form by meiosis