fungi

Fungi
What are fungi?
A fungus is a eukaryotic organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi . The fungi are heterotrophic organisms possessing a chitinous cell wall. The majority of species grow as multicellular filaments called hyphae forming a mycelium; some fungal species also grow as single cells. Sexual and asexual reproduction of the fungi is commonly via spores, often produced on specialized structures or in fruiting bodies. Some species have lost the ability to form reproductive structures, and propagate solely by vegetative growth.
Example: molds, yeasts, and mushrooms
Cell structure
Fungi are organisms that can be multi-cellular or unicellular. This means that they are made up of many cells or one cell. Each fungus cell contains a nucleus which holds the genetic material of the cell. In addition, each fungus cell has a cell wall surrounding the contents of the cell. All fungi, except for yeast, are composed of structures called hyphae. These hyphae are branching, threadlike tubes that make up the entire fungal body. Fungi vary in size and shape. Most of us have seen fungi growing on the side of trees or on the ground as we take a walk through the woods.
Obtaining Food (Nutrition)
Fungi feed by absorbing food through the hyphae. They do this by the following method:
1. The fungus grow hyphae into a food source.
2. Digestive juices ooze from the tips of the hyphae.
3. These juices break down the food.
4. The hyphae then absorb the dissolved food.
Some fungi break down decaying organisms. Others live as parasites on other living organisms. Athlete's foot is an example of fungus that grows on a person's skin.
Reproduction
Most fungi reproduce through spores. They release spores from the fruit of the fungus. The spores are released into the air and carried by the wind. Yeasts and other unicellular fungi reproduce through budding.
Types
If you find a toadstool or mushroom, one way of identifying what type of fungus it might be, is to look at its spores. To do this you can make a spore print.
To make a spore print:
Carefully cut the stem of the fungus from the cap .
Place the cap, with the gills down, on a piece of paper. If the gills are light coloured, use dark paper. If the gills are dark, use white paper
Place a bowl over the fungus to prevent draughts affecting your spore print.
Leave the fungus for a few hours to allow time for the spores to fall and produce a pattern on the paper. Some fungi may need to be left overnight, some will work very quickly.
When you have your spore print, you can keep it by spraying it with a fixative spray.
The fungi kingdom is divided up into different groups called phyla.