Introduction
Welcome to the Knowledge Base for Fungi and Protists! This repository is dedicated to providing fundamental information about these fascinating groups of organisms.
Table of Contents
What are Fungi? 🍄
Fungi are a diverse group of organisms that play crucial roles in ecosystems. They can be found in various environments, from soil and water to on other living organisms. Fungi can be:
- Unicellular: Single-celled organisms like yeasts.
Mogana Das Murtey and Patchamuthu Ramasamy via Wikimedia Commons - Multicellular: Complex structures such as mushrooms and molds.
Photo by Paula from Pexels
Fungi are essential for nutrient cycling, breaking down organic matter, and forming symbiotic relationships with plants.
Learn More:
- Mycology Start (Mycology Start is a website project by a fellow Pittsburgh mycologist, Chris!)
- The Fifth Kingdom (The textbook I used for my first mycology course!)
What are Protists? 🦠
Protists are a diverse group of eukaryotic microorganisms that do not fit into the other kingdoms (Plantae, Animalia, Fungi). They include:
- Protozoa: Single-celled organisms that often exhibit animal-like behaviors, such as movement and predation.
Donald Hobern via Wikimedia Commons - Algae: Photosynthetic protists that can be found in aquatic environments.
Solasly via Wikimedia Commons - Slime Molds: Organisms with characteristics of both fungi and amoebae.
Tony Wills, via Wikimedia Commons
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Protists play various ecological roles, including being primary producers in aquatic ecosystems and decomposers in terrestrial environments. See how they have some visual similarities to fungi?
Learn More:
Educational Resources
Interactive and Fun Learning
- Cordyceps: Explore the intriguing world of Cordyceps, the fungus that controls the minds of insects, with this 2024 TLOU Fungus Resource Guide
Watch this video to learn more about Cordyceps and its behavior in insects. - ProtoEvo: "An interactive real-time simulation for evolving multicellular organisms." ProtoEvo Project V2