Chapter 31

							                                                                                            Paul Nguyen

                                                                                                    Period 5

                                                                                              AP Biology

                                           Chapter 31: Fungi

Introduction to the Fungi:

    1. List the characteristics that distinguish fungi from organisms in the other four kingdoms.
             They differ in nutrition, structural organization, and growth and reproduction.

    2. Explain how fungi acquire their nutrients.
            A fungus absorbs nutrients from the environment outside of its body. Many fungi
               accomplish this task by secreting powerful hydrolytic enzymes into their surroundings.
               The enzymes then break down complex molecules to smaller organic compounds that
               the fungus can absorb into its body. Other fungi use enzymes to penetrate the walls of
               plant cells, enabling fungi to absorb nutrients from the plant cell.

    3. Explain how nonmotile fungi seek new food sources and how they disperse.
            Through extensions of hyphae that can grow up to a kilometer total per day
            Parasitic fungi have “haustoria” which penetrate a host for nutrition

    4. Describe the basic body plan of a fungus.
           The most common body structures are multicellular filaments and single cells.
           Species can grow as filaments or single celled organisms.
           Yeast species often inhabit moist environments.

    5. Describe the processes of plasmogamy and karyogamy.
           Plasmogamy is the fusion of cytoplasm in the cell but not in the nuclei.
           During Karyogamy, the haploid nuclei contributed by the two parent fuse, producing
              diploid cells. Zygotes and other transient structures form during karyogamy, the only
              diploid stage in most fungi. Meiosis then restores the haploid condition, leading to the
              formation of spores that enable fungi to disperse.


Diversity of Fungi

    6. Distinguish among the groups Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota.
       Include a description of the sexual structure that characterizes each group and list some
       common examples of each.
            Chytridiomycota is commonly found in lakes and soil, most of which are decomposers.
               They are structured as multicellular organisms. They are thought to be one of the
    earliest fungal groups to diverge from other fungi. A unique feature is that
    Chytridiomycota have flagellas, which are called zoospores.
   Zygomycota are responsible for the rotting of bread, peaches, strawberries, and sweet
    potatoes to rot during storage. Others live as parasites.
   Ascomycota are