Fungi form their own kingdom separate from plants and animals wit Classification hin the domain Eukarya.
There are an estimated 3.8
5.1 million fungal species.
Major phyla include Ascomycota (sac fungi), Basidiomycota (club fungi), Glomeromycota (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi), and Zygomycota along with several more minor phyla.
Characteristics
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms, meaning their cells contain a nucleus and organelles.
They have chitin in their cell walls, the same material found in insect exoskeletons.
Fungi utilize spores for reproduction. Their spores are haploid.
They feed through absorption as saprobes, decomposing organic materials outside their bodies. Or they feed as parasites, absorbing nutrients from living hosts.
Fungi growth forms include molds, yeasts, mushrooms and puffballs among others. Threadlike hyphae structures make up their visible body.
Mutualistic fungi form lichens and mycorrhizal associations with algae, plants and cyanobacteria.
Metabolism
Fungi are heterotrophs, meaning they use organic sources of carbon rather than photosynthesis.
They utilize aerobic respiration, except for in oxygen
poor environments where they can undergo fermentation instead.
The kingdom Fungi fills an ecological niche as decomposers, helping break down and recycle nutrients in an ecosystem.
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