Why did the Mushroom go to the party? Because he is a Fun gi!!!! Fungi are among the most widely distributed organisms on Earth which can be found in soil, water, plants, animals and humans. . The most common type that we know are yeasts, molds and Mushrooms . They are member of the group of called Eukaryotes. They do not perform photosynthesis. Like animals they are heterotrophs and acquire their food by absorbing molecules. They have a special material called chitin in their cell walls which are the same material in the exoskeleton of certain insects. Thus they seem more closer to animal kingdom than plants. They do not have the ability to move about except for spores travelling through air.
When we hear the word Fungus, we think of Athlete’s foot, thrush, ringworm, etc. However, the first antibiotics Penicillin was derived from a mold. Fungi help making of cheese, bread, etc and they themselves are edible in the form of mushroom. They are used in the pharmaceutical industry for drug manufacturing and for production of industrial enzymes.
Fungi also destroys crops and plants. It also effects animals. Many times they have a symbiotic relation with these organisms too- like a specialized fungi known as mycorrhizae which helps the plant roots in the uptake of water and nutrients and in return, gets organic molecules produced by photosynthesis. They are food source for other organisms and provide enzymes the animals need to break down plant cellulose in their diets, and above all they are the main decomposers in ecological systems.
Fungi has specialized feathery filaments called Hyphae. They grow from a point and extend out in search of food. Hyphae can also branch out and create a large network called a mycelium. The fruiting body is made to generate and disperse spore into the surroundings to grow more fungi.
We can limit the presence of spores in our kitchen by keeping the food in cool, dry and clean storage . Make sure to discard rotten products quickly. If there is a rotten houseplant, it is good practice to change the soil in the pot before re-potting to avoid old spores or fungi present.
My References
https://www.britannica.com/science/fungus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus
https://fantasticfungi.com/the-mush-room/how-fungi-wildlife-coexist/
Journey into the World of Life Science 