Fungi get their nutrition by absorbing organic compounds from the environment. Fungi are heterotrophic: they rely solely on carbon obtained from other organisms for their metabolism and nutrition. Fungi have evolved in a way that allows many of them to use a large variety of organic substrates for growth, including simple compounds such as nitrate, ammonia, acetate, or ethanol. Their mode of nutrition defines the role of fungi in their environment.
Fungi obtain nutrients in three different ways:
They decompose dead organic matter. A saprotroph is an organism that obtains its nutrients from non-living organic matter, usually dead and decaying plant or animal matter, by absorbing soluble organic compounds. Saprotrophic fungi play very important roles as recyclers in ecosystem energy flow and biogeochemical cycles. Saprophytic fungi, such as shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), decompose dead plant and animal tissue by releasing enzymes from hyphal tips. In this way, they recycle organic materials back into the surrounding environment. Because of these abilities, fungi are the primary decomposers in forests.
They feed on living hosts. As parasites, fungi live in or on other organisms and get their nutrients from their host. Parasitic fungi use enzymes to break down living tissue, which may cause illness in the host. Disease-causing fungi are parasitic. Recall that parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species in which one, the parasite, benefits from a close association with the other, the host, which is harmed.
They live mutualistically with other organisms. Mutualistic fungi live harmlessly with other living organisms. Recall that mutualism is an interaction between individuals of two different species, in which both individuals benefit.
5. MODES OF NUTRITION
IN FUNGI
Saprophytic
Parasitic
Symbiontic
Predacious
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NUTRITION IN FUNGI
6. SAPROPHYTIC MODE OF
NUTRITION
• Sapro- Rotten
• The heterotrophic fungi which feed on
the dead and decaying organic
substances such as decaying plants and
animal carcases.
Fig 1: Saprophytic Fungi 6
NUTRITION IN FUNGI
8. PARASITIC MODE OF
NUTRITON
These are the ones who live on other
living organisms and absorb nutrients
from their host.
Fig 5: Parasitic Fungi
Ophiocordyceps unilateralis 8
NUTRITION IN FUNGI
11. Examples:
Fig 9: Mycorrhiza growing
inside a root
Fig 10: Lichens
Fig 11: Symbiontic relationship
betwwen ant and fungi 11
NUTRITION IN FUNGI
12. PREDACIOUS MODE OF
NUTRITION
There are many animal trapping fungi which
have developed ingenious mechanisms for
capturing small animals such as eellworms,
rotifers or protozoa which they use for food.
Fig12 : Parasitic Fungi on grasshopper 12
NUTRITION IN FUNGI
17. REFERENCES
*A C Dutta, 1994, Botany for Degree Students, Oxford
University Press, YMCA Library building, Jai Singh
Road, New Delhi 110001, 708pg
* Modern Mycology, J W Deacom,Blackwell Science Ltd,
54 university street, Victoria Australia. 302 pg
* http://www.survivallandusa.com/Parasitic-Fungi.html
* http://www.easybiologyclass.com/nutrition-in-fungi/
* http://basicbiology.net/micro/microorganisms/fungi/
* https://phys.org/news/2011-03-parasitic-fungi-ants-
zombies.html
* https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Biology-
Concepts/section/8.14/
* https://giphy.com/search/fungi
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NUTRITION IN FUNGI
18. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I thank the department of Molecular Biology
for giving me an opportunity to present my
seminar. I would also like to thank my guide
Dr N S Devaki Ma’am for her valuable
guidance and support.
Thank you all.
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NUTRITION IN FUNGI
