Question

1.Explain the economic and ecological impact of fungi (1)

2. Explain the impact of saprophytic fungi on the carbon cycle.(2)

Answer 1

ANSWER 1:

Economic impact of Fungi-

(i)Biological insecticides/ pesticides- Fungi are biological pathogens. Thus they have the capability to check the population of a wide range of pests . They attack specifically to some insects and do not infect the particular plant or animal. For example- The fungi, Beauveria bassiana is a pesticide that acts upon the insect emerald ash borer.

(ii) Reusing- These fungi along with some particular species of bacteria corresponds to recycling of matter by decompositions dead matter of the plants and animals present in the soil, hence making the soil more enriched.

(iii) Medicines-  Antibiotics are the substances produced from fungi and is useful for treatment of diseases caused by pathogens. Additionally, the metabolites of fungi are of great commercial and economic impact.

Ecological impact of Fungi-

(i)Fungi are very useful to humans at many sphere and many aspects. One of such aspect is ecological impact of fungi. They (fungi) are an essential part of the nutrient cycle in he ecosystem.

(ii) Fungi are very much needed in the process of humus formation as it brings about the degeneration and decomposition of plants and animal matter.

ANSWER 2: Impact of saprophytic fungi on the carbon cycle-

Saprophytic fungi are crucial agents of soil mineralization and carbon cycling. The carbon cycle requires carbon-dioxide which is added to the air by the mechanism of - respiration of animals, respiration of plants and respiration of micro-organisms like bacteria and saprophytic fungi . The dead remains of the plants and animals are acted upon by the saprophytic fungi in the soil. The digestive enzymes of the fungi work upon the dead organic material and thus absorb the breakdown products of digestion through their cell membranes. The saprophytic fungi uses the absorbed glucose for the respiration to proceed (to release energy)which ultimately releases the CO2 in gaseous form, which is a waste product of the respiration mechanism bact to the atmosphere, contributing to the carbon cycle respectively.