Basic Characteristics:
-eukaryotic
-heterotrophic
-multicellular (mostly)
-have a cell wall but is made of chitin
-have no specialized tissues or organs
-basic structure are called hyphae -> long filaments of cells with/without partitions
-chemically more similar to animals than plants

Survival Tactics:
Fungi will reproduce asexually if conditions are favourable. It will also grow hyphae over its food source. When conditions become less favourable, fungi start to reproduce sexually (spores).

Nutrition:
*extracellular digestion
-parasitic -> haustoria
-sporotrophic -> decomposers
-mutualism -> mychorrhiza
-predators

Reproduction
Asexual:
-fragmentation------------- genetically identical
-budding--------------------- no mate required
-spores------------------------ when times are "good"
Sexual:
-requires joining of two gametes (haploid cell with 1/2 set of DNA = positive + negative (or male + female)

Classifying Fungi
Fungi are classified into four groups, based on how the reproduce sexually:

1. Zygomycota (bread molds): when two haploid hyphae (+ and -) join, zygospores are created. This happens during rough times. Usually reproduction would happen asexually via the sporangium.

2. Basidomycota (club fungi): during sexual reproduction, basidiospores are borne in the basidium and released when matured. They spores then grow + and - hyphae. When + and - hyphae fuse, it creates new hyphae/mycelium and then starts to grow a basidiocarp. This form "gills" on which new basidia and basidiospores form.

3. Ascomycota (yeast and sac fungi): during sexual reproduction + and - hyphae fuse to form ascus, a finger-like sac bearing spores. During asexual reproduction, spores form at the tips of modified hyphae called conidia. Also some ascomycota reproduce asexually by budding.

4. Deuteromycota (imperfect fungi): these do not sexually reproduce. They develop mycelia from spores called conidia.

	Created by Chelsea Beaton almost 10 years ago

This is what I need to know about Fungi for my test on January 5, 2017.

Fungi