Fungi are eukaryotic heterotrophs that differ from plants in that their cell walls contain chitin rather than cellulose. Many fungi are saprophytes, parasites, or symbionts. Fungi obtain energy by secreting enzymes to break down organic materials and absorb simple molecules. A fungus' vegetative structure is a mass of filaments called mycelium. Fungi play important ecological roles as decomposers that break down organic matter and recycle nutrients. Some form symbiotic relationships with algae or plants through lichens and mycorrhizal networks. Fungi are also economically important for uses like fermentation, food, and unfortunately can cause diseases in plants,

1. Kingdom Fungi

2. Eukaryotic heterotrophs
(How does this make them different from plants???)
•Many are saprophytes
•Many are parasites
•Many are symbionts

3. The next few slides
show some examples of
common fungi...

4. Shelf Fungus

5. Mushroom

6. Rings of mushrooms are often called fairy rings

7. Bread mold
Mold on fruit
mmm…

8. Puffball
releasing
spores

9. Morel
Usually cost from $35 to $75 a pound

10. The cell walls are made with
CHITIN
instead of cellulose.

11. Mycelium: Mass of tangled filaments
Hypha: One individual filament
Hyphae (plural, pronounced “hy-fee”) are divided
up by cross walls containing one or more nuclei.
Structure...

12. How does a fungus obtain energy?
It secretes digestive enzymes that break
down organic material into simple
molecules.
The fungus absorbs the molecules into the
hyphae.

13. Should I Eat This??

14. Mushrooms
Basidiocarp
Hyphae Mycelium

15. One fungus mycelium may
produce many mushrooms!
The largest organism in the world is
a fungus mycelium—found in
Oregon
Humongous fungus: Up to 8,500
years old and carpeting nearly 10
square kilometers of forest floor!
(that’s equivalent to 1,600 football fields!!)

16. Role of fungi in nature: Decomposers
– Decompose and recycle organic and inorganic
nutrients
– Use chemical energy in dead organisms
– Return nutrients and minerals to the soil for use by
plants

17. Symbiotic Relationships
Lichens: fungus + green algae (a symbiotic partnership!)
•Fungus provides algae with water and minerals
•Alga photosynthesizes and provides nutrients to fungus
Therefore, lichens can live in harsh, desolate places!

18. Another symbiotic relationship...
Mycorrhizae: Fungus and green plant
(partnership on roots of plants)
• Fungal hyphae help absorb water, minerals,
nutrients
• Plants give fungi products of photosynthesis

19. Fungus and Humans
Yeast - Unicellular fungus
• Fermentation --> yeast in anaerobic environments
produces CO2 and alcohol—causes bread to rise
Mmmmm… Fungus to eat!
• Portobello, Shitake, Porcini, Button Mushrooms; Truffles
• Blue splotches in Blue Cheese

20. Western Australian black truffles are advertised
for sale for $3 per gram or $3000.00 per kilogram,
the above-ground fruit of Tricholoma
matsutake, which have the classic mushroom
cap and stipe form, have been known to retail in
Japan for US $200 - 2000 a kilogram!

21. Plant Diseases
• There are many
different fungal
infections that can
hurt or kill plants
• Wheat rust kills
wheat crops in
North America 
• Fungi are
devastating in the
tropics because of
high humidity

22. Human Diseases
• Athlete’s foot - mycelium grows within the
outer layers of skin
• Ringworm
• Nail fungus
• Yeast infections