Basidiomycota By Ethan Siem Hr 1 Accel Bio

Basidiomycota • By: Ethan Siem • Hr. 1 Accel. Bio

What are They? • The Basidiomycota contains about 30, 000 species, which is 37% of the species of true Fungi. • The most familiar Basidiomycota are those that produce mushrooms. . • Basidiomycota also includes yeasts.

What are They Cont. • Basidiomycota are found in virtually all ecosystems, including freshwater and marine habitats.

What do They Do? • Basidiomycota have a huge impact on humans and the function of the ecosystem. • Many Basidiomycota obtain nutrition by decaying dead organic matter, including wood and leaf litter. • Basidiomycota play a major role in the Carbon Cycle.

What they do cont. • Unfortunately Basidiomycota frequently attack the wood in buildings and other structures like it. • Basidiomycota usually have a negative effect on the human economy.

Kinds of… • There are many different kinds of basidiomycota. • Basidiomycota is the largest of the 5 phyla of fungi.

Kinds of…cont. • Basidiomycota include… – Gill fungi – Pore fungi – Stinkhorns – Coral fungi – Bird’s nest fungi – Jelly fungi – Rusts – Smuts – Stem rot – Puffballs

Gill Fungi • Gill fungi have gills under their caps • They are thin vertical items beneath a mushroom cap • Spores are produced on these gills • Most are deadly poisonous • They also are some of the best fungi to eat • Found on dead twigs and material laying on the forest floor

Pore Fungi • Spores also fall from these pores just like from the gill mushrooms • Some develop “flesh” bruises • These are good to eat • Many pore fungi are too tough to even think of eating

Stinkhorns • They are mostly an empty shell filled with air. • They are sticky and moist. • Smell unbelievably bad! Like dog feces on a warm summer day. • The greenish brown stuff is composed of basidia and basidiospores. • Bees do the same thing with flowers that Flies do with Stinkhorns. • They are not poisonous!

Coral Fungi • • They branch in clusters like coral reefs do. Found in the woods on decaying logs Some are brightly colored. Mostly fleshy and edible.