Information About Fungus
There are over 60,000 identified species of fungi, reports the Georgia Museum of Natural History. While there are many different types of fungi, there are some similarities that all fungi share.
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Identification
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A fungus is a living organism that cannot produce its own food, has cells that have a distinct nucleus or center, and reproduces using spores.
Function
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Fungi obtain nutrients by living off of other living organisms as a parasite or obtaining them from decaying matter in soil.
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Types of Fungi
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Mushrooms, hyphae, mold, trichoderma and yeast are all types of fungi.
Benefits
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By breaking down decaying organisms, fungi release carbon into the environment, which is then used for respiration in plants. In turn, plants give off oxygen, which animals and humans use to breathe.
Considerations
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Some fungi are harmful to humans and cause severe, life-threatening infections, like Coccidioides immitis. Other types of fungi cause allergies in people, while others are poisonous if ingested.
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