Reminder: Bring the two samples of fungi that you collected to the fungi lab ! Where to collect fungi?

I selected links that provide images of fungi similar to those observed in laboratory. Review the links as you prepare for lab and as you study for your lab exam.

Reminder: Bring the two samples of fungi that you collected to the fungi lab ! Where to collect fungi?

In lab you are asked to focus on four things:

1. Sample the diversity of the various Divisions of Fungi and related organisms.
2. Select one representative organism from each Division with which you will associate the characteristics of the Division
3. Determine the Division to which each of the two fungi you collected belongs
4. Learn the pattern of reproduction of representative fungi:
• Saprolegnia
• Rhizopus
• Peziza
• Coprinus or other mushroom

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Where to collect Fungi

The following locations probably will provide specimens of a variety of fungi. If you collect fleshy fungi (mushroom types) some time in advance of lab, you may wish to air dry these to preserve them. If you collect molds or mildews, you may want to keep these in a closed jar or plastic container so spores are not released.

1. Campus woods -- inspect dead branches that have fallen to the ground. Many will have bracket or shelf fungi growing on them. Commonly these fungi appear banded from above, and have small pores beneath.
2. Campus woods or grounds - inspect areas, especially on rotting logs, tree stumps, for mushrooms, puff balls and other macroscopic fungi.
3. Your home - inspect fruit, bread and other contents of your home for fuzzy, cottony growth typical of molds and mildews.
4. Your yard - inspect vegetation (lilac leaves, log piles, compost bins, etc.) for mildew, and inspect left over Haloween pumpkins for fuzzy mold.
5. Your refrigerator - Perhaps you have a live culture of yeast that you use in baking, maybe you have some mushrooms you plan to cook with the evening's meal, etc.

Prepare in advance by looking at the examples on the website, illustrations in your text, and illustrations in other reference books.

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Assignment

              Assignment for Laboratory Exercise 11 - Fungi
 

1.  Bring your Physarum culture (Petri dish from Exercise 2) and the
     two fungi that you collected to laboratory today. Complete
     page 11-3 and display your specimens at your desk.

2.  Examine the materials on display in the room. These will
     include living and preserved specimens representing
     diversity of fungi; type specimens for the divisions we will
     study; live and prepared slides illustrating reproductive
     patterns of selected fungi; information from books and
     journals related to these and to the economic importance of
     fungi and the ecological role of fungi.

3.   Learn the major characteristics of the following divisions
     and one organism to represent each division: Myxomycota,
     Oomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota.

4.   Examine materials present which illustrate biological
     diversity of the Divisions of fungi. Recognize how, despite
     the variation illustrated, each representative meets the
     criteria for the division to which it belongs.

5.   Examine the vegetative bodies and spore producing structures
     of Physarum, Penicillium, and Saccharomyces.

6.   Learn the structure and patterns of reproduction of
     Saprolegnia, Rhizopus, Peziza and Coprinus.

7.  Show me the items on the check sheet (page 11-2) and have me
     initial that page to indicate that you have shown them to
     me.

 8.  Prepare for a quiz.