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Biology 2e

Key Terms

Biology 2eKey Terms

arbuscular mycorrhiza
mycorrhizal association in which the fungal hyphae enter the root cells and form extensive networks
Arbuscular mycorrhizae
mycorrhizae commonly involving Glomeromycetes in which the fungal hyphae penetrate the cell walls of the plant root cells (but not the cell membranes)
ascocarp
fruiting body of ascomycetes
Ascomycota
(also, sac fungi) phylum of fungi that store spores in a sac called ascus
basidiocarp
fruiting body that protrudes from the ground and bears the basidia
Basidiomycota
(also, club fungi) phylum of fungi that produce club-shaped structures (basidia) that contain spores
basidium
club-shaped fruiting body of basidiomycetes
Chytridiomycota
(also, chytrids) primitive phylum of fungi that live in water and produce gametes with flagella
coenocytic hypha
single hypha that lacks septa and contains many nuclei
commensalism
symbiotic relationship in which one member benefits while the other member is not affected
Deuteromycota
former form phylum of fungi that do not have a known sexual reproductive cycle (presently members of two phyla: Ascomycota and Basidiomycota)
ectomycorrhiza
mycorrhizal fungi that surround the roots with a mantle and have a Hartig net that extends into the roots between cells
Ectomycorrhizae
mycorrhizae in which the fungal hyphae do not penetrate the root cells of the plant
facultative anaerobes
organisms that can perform both aerobic and anaerobic respiration and can survive in oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environment
Glomeromycota
phylum of fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the roots of trees
haustoria
modified hyphae on many parasitic fungi that penetrate the tissues of their hosts, release digestive enzymes, and/or absorb nutrients from the host
heterothallic
describes when only one mating type is present in an individual mycelium
homothallic
describes when both mating types are present in mycelium
hypha
fungal filament composed of one or more cells
karyogamy
fusion of nuclei
lichen
close association of a fungus with a photosynthetic alga or bacterium that benefits both partners
mold
tangle of visible mycelia with a fuzzy appearance
mycelium
mass of fungal hyphae
mycetismus
ingestion of toxins in poisonous mushrooms
mycology
scientific study of fungi
mycorrhiza
mutualistic association between fungi and vascular plant roots
mycorrhizae
a mutualistic relationship between a plant and a fungus. Mycorrhizae are connections between fungal hyphae, which provide soil minerals to the plant, and plant roots, which provide carbohydrates to the fungus
mycosis
fungal infection
mycotoxicosis
poisoning by a fungal toxin released in food
obligate aerobes
organisms, such as humans, that must perform aerobic respiration to survive
obligate anaerobes
organisms that only perform anaerobic respiration and often cannot survive in the presence of oxygen
parasitism
symbiotic relationship in which one member of the association benefits at the expense of the other
plasmogamy
fusion of cytoplasm
polyphyletic group
group of organisms that is of mixed evolutionary origin
saprobe
organism that derives nutrients from decaying organic matter; also saprophyte
septa
cell wall division between hyphae
soredia
clusters of algal cells and mycelia that allow lichens to propagate
sporangium
reproductive sac that contains spores
spore
a haploid cell that can undergo mitosis to form a multicellular, haploid individual
thallus
vegetative body of a fungus
yeast
general term used to describe unicellular fungi
Zygomycota
(also, conjugated fungi) phylum of fungi that form a zygote contained in a zygospore
zygospore
structure with thick cell wall that contains the zygote in zygomycetes
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