The Fungi Kingdom

 

There are seven phyla of fungi. Fungi are mostly multicellular, with a few single celled microorganisms like yeasts and mold. These organisms destroy and break down natural material and turns it back to nitrogen, which is crucial for plants, animals, and any living thing to live. Fungi recycle the nitrogen from dead organisms into the air and soil for the next generation of plants or animals. A type of fungus called mycorrhiza grows roots everywhere, and all the vascular plants they tap on to can in turn tap on to the fungus, which is connected to many other plants,  so it supplies all of them with nutrients from the deep soil and other plants. Other fungi produce drugs, such as penicillin from the blue mold that grows on bread, and many other antibiotics. Others provide food, such as yeast, found in bread, and in beer. These fungi can also cause diseases, like ringworm and athlete’s foot.