Fungi
The Fungi Kingdom is made up of a variety of different fungi. For many years, it was believed that fungi were plants. Today we know that fungi are different from plants in some very important ways - this is why they represent their OWN kingdom. A typical fungal cell contains a true nucleus.
First, unlike plants, fungi cannot make their own food. They must rely on other food sources to support them which means they are heterotrophs. Fungi can reproduce sexually or asexually. Fungi produce spores that disperse from the parent organism by either floating on the wind or hitching a ride on an animal. Fungal spores are smaller and lighter than plant seeds. The giant puffball mushroom bursts open and releases trillions of spores. The huge number of spores released increases the likelihood of landing in an environment that will support growth.
One common type of fungus is the mushrooms you find on your pizza. Other fungi include microscopic fungus, truffles, and more.
Yeast are also an example of a fungus. Yeast is used to make bread rise and to brew beer and other alcohols. Yeast is a unicellular fungi wheras mushrooms are multicellular.
Did you know that one of the most amazing medical discoveries - penicillin - was discovered by accident! This substance was the first antibiotic used to kill bacterial infections. It was produced by a fungus!
Fungi can also cause diseases. Common fungal diseases in humans include thrush, ringworm and tinea.