Fungi Fundamentals
Fungi are their own kingdom of mostly multicellular, sessile decomposers that are more closely related to animals than plants. Unlike plants with cellulose cell walls, fungi have cell walls made of chitin, the same material found in insect exoskeletons.
These organisms have a unique feeding strategy - they secrete digestive enzymes to break down organic matter externally, then absorb the nutrients into their cells. Scientists estimate there are roughly 100,000 known fungal species, but believe the total could reach 1.5 million species!
The basic building block of fungi is the hyphae - thread-like structures that each contain their own genetic information. Each hyphae can release digestive enzymes and absorb nutrients. When hyphae connect, they create a structure called a mycelium, which forms the main body of the fungus.
💡 The mushrooms we see popping up from the ground aren't the main fungal organism - they're just reproductive structures! The vast majority of the fungus exists as an underground network of hyphae.
