Fungi play several important ecological roles. As decomposers, they break down dead organic matter and release nutrients back into the soil, recycling them for other organisms. As mycorrhizal partners with plants, fungi help plants absorb water and minerals in exchange for carbohydrates. Lichens, which consist of fungi and algae, are pioneers in plant succession and weather rocks into soil. Some fungi also help bioremediate polluted environments and produce antibiotics. However, some fungi can also cause diseases or destroy plants, wood, food, and other materials.

1. ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF FUNGI
DR VISHNUPRIYA SHARMA

2. WHAT ARE THE FUNGI ?
Achlorophyllous, Eukaryotic,
heterotrophs, thallophytes.
 Cosmopolitan in distribution.
Microscopic to macroscopic in nature.
 Cannot synthesize their own food, unlike
green plants.
Dependent for their food on some living
substratum(parasite) or on dead organic
material(saprophyte).

3. Aristotle, Haeckel, Copeland gave initial classifications.
Comprising the mushrooms, molds, mildews,smuts,
rusts, and yeasts, and classified in the kingdom Fungi
( Whittakar).
Later Alexopolous, Ainsworth et al have classified entire
fungi into 2 subdivisions.
According to scientists, there are approximately 1.5
million species of fungi n the planet but only some percent
of them have been given proper identification.

4. BIODIVERSITY
 Defined as variety and variability of
shape, size and form
 It includes
 Genetic diversity (genes,
chromosomes),
 Taxonomic diversity (species, genus,
families) and
 Biogeographic diversity (habitats,
landscapes, ecosystem).

5. MACROFORMS COLLECTED FROM PARADE GROUND ALLAHABAD
Auricularia polytricha Polyporus sp. P.alveolaris
Coral fungi
Ganoderma tsugae Taloromyces chinensis

6. RANGE OF STRUCTURE OF FUNGI-
Unicellular yeast, filamentous and microscopic molds like blue green mold, black
mold, macroscopic mushrooms, wood rotting fungi.

7. DIVERSITY OF FUNGI - Most diversified in their habitat and are found in
all possible habitat.

8. ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF FUNGI-IN A FOOD CHAIN
Fungi being saprotrophs play a role in the
process of decomposition of dead remains of
other organisms eg dead animal bodies, dead
herbaceous or woody plants or waste products
like fecal matter, fallen leaves or dead wood
pieces. Fungi break down the dead organic
matter and return vital nutrients on the soil.
Without fungi, nutrients would not be cycled
through ecosystem leading to breakdown of
food chain.

9. ECOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE AS NATURAL
SWEEPERS OR REDUCERS OF ECOSYSTEM
Fungi as Decomposers
Fungi join bacteria as the primary decomposers in different ecosystems. They
feed on the organic remains of dead plants. They release special enzymes that
break down lignin, a structurally complex substance in wood. Because of their
ability to break down wood, fungi are considered the major wood decomposers in
forests. To absorb organic matter, fungi release acids to melt organic matter, and
then they suck the acid back together with the melted organic matter.
Decomposing organic matter is considered by ecologists as the major ecological
role of fungi.

10. ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF FUNGI AS MYCORRHIZA A
SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP
Association between a vascular plant root and fungi is called
mycorrhiza as fungi colonize the roots of a plant, build a
connection to the roots and exchange nutrients with each other.
Plants provide mycorrhizal fungi shelter and a supply of
carbohydrates; in return, mycorrhizal fungi improve the plant’s
absorption capabilities for water and nutrients because they have
a larger surface-area ratio compared to roots, so they have higher
absorptive capacity for water and minerals. They make it easier
for plants to absorb water and minerals in soils that are dry and
with low mineral concentration about 90% of plants are depends
on mycorrhizal fungi for survival.

11. ENDOMYCORRHIZA AS BIOFERTILIZER
German pathologist AB Frank (1885) coined the term
mycorrhizae.
VAM- Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae are some fungi
which penetrates the root cells by means of projections
and develop intercellularly, forms intercellular branched
structures called as arbuscules helpful in phosphate
nutrition of plants.
Compost as bio fertilizer- Crop residue, cow dung, cattle
dung, farm waste and animal urine is degraded by
several species of fungi like Aspergillus, Tricoderma and
Penicillium, as these are the efficient cellulolytic cultures
used for the formation of compost

12. FUNGUS AS AN COMPONENT OF
LICHENS- THE PIONEERS OF
SUCCESSION
Lichens are the distinct group of plants having
a composite structure consisting of two
dissimilar organisms – A Fungus and an algae
associated in an symbiotic union.
Lichens are considered to be the pioneers in
initiating a xerach succession on rocks. They
initiate the weathering of rocks into soil
particles thus are called as soil builders.
Lichens are highly sensitive to sulphur dioxide
pollution as a significant indicator of air
pollution.

13. FUNGAL ORGANISMS AS ENVIRONMENTAL
CLEANERS- BIODEGRADATION.
Bioremediation (biological remediation) is the use of biological agents to clean and
restore a polluted environment.
Few fungal species of are able to degrade soil pollutants such as insecticides,
herbicides, heavy metals, creosote, coal tars, and hydrocarbon fuels. (eg P.
crysogenum, M. plumbens, T. virideae are able to metabolize pesticides by
secreting enzymes that neutralize the Xenobiotics( man made products eg
pesticides)

14. BENEFICIAL ROLE OF FUNGI- FOOD VALUE
Fungi as food- mushrooms , morels, truffels, tubers, Agaricus compestris,
Bakers Yeast- Saccharomyces cerevisae Used in bakery, breweries and
production of wine, beer, rum

15. A SOURCE OF MEDICINE AND ANTIBIOTICS
 Antibiotics are defined as substances of biological origin which at low
concentration can inhibit the growth of bacteria.
 Claviceps purpurea produces alkaloides like ergotamine which is used to
induce uterine contractions, check haemorrhage, treatment of head ache ,
migraine.
 Natural source of LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide) a modern medicine used in
experimental psychiatry.

16. HARMFUL EFFECTS
OF FUNGI
 Diseases of plants.
 Diseases of humans as
aspergillosis, ringworm, ear
infection.
 Destruction of wood.
 Spoilage of food.
 Destruction of common goods like
leather, paper by penicillium, mucor
and Chaetomium.

17. Acknowledgement
Special thanks for Ms Justyna Malec for taking pictures form natural habitat in
Wojcechowka, Tyszowce Poland in months of September and october 2017 and
sharing them with this presentation.

18. Thank you