Protists and Fungi Infographic by

Kingdom Protista

nsomathilake27 — 2024-04-29 19:36:20 UTC

Kingdom Protista includes all protists, and they are the smallest and simplest eukaryotes. They are diverse and different from all other organisms because they are animal-like, plant-like, and fungus-like. They live in a vast amount of environments such as swamps, deserts, forests, and more.

Animal-Like Protists

nsomathilake27 — 2024-04-29 19:52:04 UTC

Animal-like protists are referred to as protozoa. They are animal-like because they obtain food from other organisms, they are heterotrophic and are generally able to move. These types of protists will move with flagellum, pseudopods, and cilia. Flagella are whip-like structures that move back and forth to propel a protest, psuedopods are "false feet" that push off a surface, and cilia are hair-like structures surrounding an organism that "row" the organism places. Most of the protozoa are unicellular. Some examples of protozoa include amoebas, ciliate, flagellate, and sporozoan.

Plant-Like Protists

nsomathilake27 — 2024-04-29 20:02:35 UTC

Plant-like protists are called algae. There are single-celled and multi-celled algae. The main reason they are referred to as plant-like is because they contain chloroplast and do photosynthesis to get their food (they are autotrophs). Some examples of algae include cyanobacteria, red algae, green algae, and diatoms

Fungus-Like Protists

nsomathilake27 — 2024-04-29 20:45:24 UTC

Fungus-like protists are mold. They are decomposers, so they get their energy from decomposed matter. They are considered fungus-like because they have spores like fungus. The two main types of fungus-like protists include slime mold and water mold. They can be both unicellular and multicellular. Some examples include dog vomit slime mold and Saprolegnia.

Benefits of Protists

nsomathilake27 — 2024-04-29 20:56:54 UTC

Photosynthetic protists are a big piece of the phytoplankton population, this means they are one of the biggest providers to photosynthesis. They provide nourishment to many animals.
Some plant-like protists help provide coral reef energy through photosynthesis. This helps maintain equilibrium and health in these environments.
Protists like kelp help provide habitats for many aquatic species. Usually in kelp forests.

Structure of Fungus

nsomathilake27 — 2024-05-01 16:37:59 UTC

Except for yeast which is a single-celled fungus, most fungi are composed of thread-like filaments called hyphae. The whole network of hyphae is called mycelium. They also have chitin in their walls which makes them most closely related to animals. Their fruiting body is above ground, this grows from the mycelium. Spore-producing structures form on the fruiting body of the fungi and is how they reproduce.

Fungi Role in the Environment

nsomathilake27 — 2024-05-01 23:28:42 UTC

To get energy fungi break down leaves, fruits, and other stuff in the environment, then absorb the nutrients. This process is called decomposition. This helps an environment remain stable and recycles nutrients back into the area.
Some fungi are parasitic and can cause other animals or plants to get sick. There are plant and animal diseases caused by fungi. Some diseases such as corn smut and wheat rust kill corn kernels and wheat respectively. Fungal diseases can also affect animals. There is a specific fungus that harms amphibians, it is called Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. It spreads its spores in water and gets the amphibians sick, which eventually leads to death. There are also fungal infections in humans. Things such as athletes' foot and yeast infections are from fungi.
Fungi can form mutualistic relationships with other organisms in the environment. A lichen, for example, is when a fungus forms a symbiotic relationship with a photosynthetic organism. Lichen is usually one of the first living organisms in a barren environment, and they usually break down the rock/area they're occupying. This means they help with the early stages of soil formation. Fungi can also form relationships with plant roots called mycorrhizae. Fungal roots merge themselves with tree roots and help them get water/nutrients, they are a big part of the growth of some plants. Plants like orchids can't germinate without the mycorrhizae.

Picture of Lichen

nsomathilake27 — 2024-05-01 23:33:13 UTC

Lichen is explained in the environmental effects of fungi. (It is in bold)

Picture of Mycorrhizae

nsomathilake27 — 2024-05-01 23:33:51 UTC

Mycorrhizae is explained in the environmental factors of fungi. (It is in italics)

Human uses for Fungi

nsomathilake27 — 2024-05-01 23:41:21 UTC

While there are some poisonous mushrooms such as death cap mushrooms, many of them are nutritious and supposedly taste good (I don't eat mushrooms).
Yeast, a single-celled fungi, is used to make many foods humans eat such as bread and wine. It is also used in the production of cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola.