Fungi and Ecological Impacts accordin to Niche.

decomposer

• digests plant material mostly.

• air is filled with its spores.

spoiler

• In the Revolutionary War, most British ships were lost due to fungus infestations than American attack.

• can destroy plastics.

• from 1-in-every-10 to 1-in-every-2 plants that are harvested are lost to fungus.

• ethylene (plant hormone) initiates fungus growth as well as fruit ripening.

pathogen

• cause athletes foot, lung infections, vaginal yeast infections.

• ergots (structures on ascomycetes) can cause gangrene, nerve spasms, hallucination, instanity, etc.

• used to treat high blood pressure and maternal bleeding after birth.

edible

• truffles, many basidiomycetes.

Brief Synopsis of Fungal Evolution.

current chytrids represent a link:  flagellated cells, absorptive nutrition, hyphae, chitin, and common metabolic pathways and enzymes.

Next:  "Plants."