Is Fungus a Plant?
At one time it was believed that fungus was a plant that did not use photosynthesis for nutrition. Now, fungi are classified as their own kingdom of organisms. Does this Spark an idea?
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Fungi
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Plants are autotrophs, organisms that can create their own food by photosynthesizing sunlight. Fungi are heterotrophs, which must consume food, often by eating autotrophs. In this, fungi are closer to animals, another type of heterotroph, than to plants. Fungi have cells was made of chitin, a material found in the exoskeletons of insects.
Fungi and Plants
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While a fungus is not a plant, fungi and plants often can be found close together and often share a symbiotic relationship. Fungi on plant roots draw sugar from plants for nutrition. In exchange, they draw nitrogen out of the surrounding soil and release it into the plant's roots, helping to fertilize it.
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Considerations
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Scientists have named more than 56,000 species of fungi, and their fossils have been dated to 500 million years ago. Fungi can be found feeding on algae, humans and animals in addition to their relationships with plants.
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References
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