The mushrooms they feed Of organic matter that they absorb from the environment and other organisms. Therefore, it is said that they are Heterotrophs .
Fungi are organisms belonging to the fungi kingdom , Which also includes yeasts, molds, mushrooms and other Eukaryotic organisms (Organisms composed of cells whose DNA Is in a differentiated nucleus and surrounded by a membrane).
They do not belong to the realm of plants, animals or Protists (Living being constituted by a single eukaryotic cell, such as protozoa). Fungi are cryptogenetic organisms, meaning they lack flowers, such as lichens, algae and bacteria.
Because they do not have chlorophyll, fungi can not photosynthesis , Which is the process by which plants can feed themselves. For this reason, fungi have to rely on other organisms to nourish themselves.
They do it through filaments or hyphae. The hyphae grouped together constitute mycelia, which are the channels that establish the fungi to take to absorb water, minerals and nutrients in general, work that is made effective thanks to the enzymes.
Food of the fungi: Classification
Fungi are classified into different groups according to their characteristics. The one that competes here is the classification according to its form of feeding itself:
Parasites
In this group are the fungi that live on or within living organisms - whether animal or vegetable - and absorb their nutrients through hydrolytic enzymes capable of breaking down molecules of living tissue, causing disease and even death to their host.
The spores of these fungi are introduced into the living organism through fissures; Once inside, some germinate giving rise to the fungi, and these to the mushrooms that can later be seen on the surface.
In general, almost all plants and animals can be - and indeed are - attacked by many species of parasitic fungi.
Dead the tree or the animal that contains them, also dies the parasite that killed him, by the lack of food. It is the moment in which the next group of fungi acts.
Saprophytes
They are those that get their food from dead organic matter, whether this animal (including excrement) or vegetable, but always in a state of decomposition.
In this case, the fungus is fed by the release of enzymes that dissolve the material they colonize and then absorb the organic matter that results from this process.
Their role is very important in balancing the Ecosystems , Mainly in the forests, since they fulfill a recycler role of the dead matter.
To this group of mushrooms belong many edible ones like the shiitake and the oyster mushrooms.
There are also those that help the process of making foods that require fermentation, such as alcoholic drinks And some cheeses or those used in the field of medicine, such as penicillin, among others.
Symbiotics or mutualists
They are those who live alongside other organisms, but without causing harm or disease. In any case it is an innocuous coexistence or in which both benefit. Within this symbiotic feeding group are:
1- Mycorrhizal fungi Or mycorrhizal
From greek Mycorrhiza , Meaning"root-fungus", are those that feed on the organic substances found in the soil. The symbiosis in this case occurs when the fungus takes from the plant the excess glucose from its roots.
At the same time, however, it allows the tree to optimize the assimilation of inorganic foods. This is because the roots of the trees have at their ends a few roots which in turn branch into absorbent pellets much thinner.
Sometimes, these hairs are very weak or scarce, which prevents or hinders the plant from feeding, endangering its growth and survival.
This is where fungus work is paramount: it compensates the favor of the plant by opening channels to facilitate the feeding of the roots.
The benefits that plants receive from mycorrhizal fungi can be summarized as:
- Absorption of water and nutrients
- Regulation of growth
- Protection against diseases
The fungi that are usually found on the grass are a clear example of mycorrhization. If you look closely, the grass around the fungus tends to be greener and brighter, thanks to the nitrogen Which provides the fungus, which is transformed into nitrates and nitrites that are an excellent fertilizer for the plant.
But thanks to these nutrients, the grass also tends to grow and die faster, so it will later turn more yellowish than that grass under which the fungus does not exist.
2- Lichenized fungi
They are the fungi that form a symbiotic relationship with an alga allowing it to colonize areas of difficult access.
In places as inhospitable as the immense plains near the Arctic Circle, lichens are sometimes the only food that animals can find.
The great resistance of this plant to the inclemency of weather Is due to the mushrooms that grow next to it. For this reason, lichens can be found in almost any habitat, however inclement their latitude, altitude or temperature conditions may be.
While it is true that many fungi are poisonous and dangerous for human consumption, fungi in general are of inestimable value in nature, by their participation in the decomposition of organic matter and its contribution to the balance of ecosystems.
References
- How mushrooms feed. Retrieved from ck12.org.
- José Cuesta Cuesta. Ecology and habitat of fungi. Recovered from amanitacesarea.com.
- Fungi kingdom. Retrieved from learning about therefungi.blogspot.com.ar.
- What do mushrooms eat? Recovered from that-come.com.
- Lichenized fungi. Recovered from inbio.ac.cr.