Biology 3218F/G Chapter Notes - Chapter Essay : Termitomyces, Mushroom Observer, Termite
15 Sep 2020
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Fungi are an exceptionally diverse clade of organisms and are found in unique habitats worldwide. They are characterized as eukaryotic, heterotrophic, having large networks of hyphae, and having cell walls made of chitin (walker and white 2011). Although they are often mistaken to be exclusively decomposers, fungi actually have several different roles within an ecosystem, many of them being symbiotic relationships. Some of these relationships are parasitic, where the fungi uses a host organism for its own benefit entirely, however some. Fungi form symbiotic relationships with organisms where the benefit is mutual (walker and. These fungi have a relationship with the roots cells of plants, and exchange nutrients for sugars. The amazing results of this interaction makes it a keystone example of a symbiotic mutualistic relationship. And while mycorrhizal fungi are certainly an exceptional case, there are other, less common fungi that have equally amazing relationships (walker and white 2011).
