Nutrition (Leaving Cert Biology): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
Nutrition
- All fungi are heterotrophic.
- They are either:
- Saprophytic (live on dead organisms)
- Parasitic (live in or on living organisms)
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Heterotrophic: organisms that cannot make food and must use food made by other organisms, e.g. animals, fungi.
1. Saprophytic Fungi
- Saprophytic fungi feed of dead plants and animals.
- They cause decay.
- Examples: Mushrooms, moulds.
2. Parasitic Fungi
- Parasitic fungi feed on living plants and animals.
- They cause disease.
- Examples in plants: Potato mosaic fungus (causes plant diseases like mildews and rusts).
- Examples in humans: Ringworm, athlete's foot.
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Exam focus: Fungi affecting plants: Potato mosaic fungus
Fungi affecting animals: Athlete's foot
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Edible Fungi
- Safe to eat.
- Examples:
- Mushrooms (grow above ground)
- Truffles (form underground)
Mushrooms
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Poisonous Fungi
- Harmful or deadly if consumed.
- Examples:
- Death cap
- Destroying angel
Death cap