Question 1

Can fungi be used in the "war on drugs"?

Accepted Answer

Certain fungal strains can attack coca plants and reduce crop yields if applied to areas where they are grown. This can potentially reduce the production of illicit drugs such as cocaine, making fungi a potential tool in the "war on drugs". However, this method has not been widely applied due to concerns about its effectiveness and potential environmental impact.

Question 2

If you needed penicillin, which of these products would be your best source?

Accepted Answer

Penicillin can be obtained from the mold Penicillium, which is used to make Camembert cheese.

Question 3

Upon close examination of a plant root, you notice hyphae growing within the plant.The plant appears healthy, so you conclude that this must be a(n) _______ fungus.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Upon close examination of a plant root,...

Question 4

The ancestral habitat of chytrid fungi is believed to have been aquatic because of the presence of flagellated gametes and _______ found in sexually reproducing species.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The ancestral habitat of chytrid fungi is...

Question 5

Which statement about the economic usefulness of fungi is false?

Accepted Answer

Fungi do not produce oxygen via fermentation. Instead, they are aerobic organisms that consume oxygen during respiration.

Question 6

On a trip in the woods, you notice a leafy lichen growing on the bark of a tree, parallel to its surface.Based on its appearance, you would describe the lichen's body plan as _______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of On a trip in the woods, you...

Question 7

Which aspect of lichen biology is not relevant to the use of lichens as air quality indicators?

Accepted Answer

Lichens are used as air quality indicators because of their sensitivity to air pollution, which affects their growth and survival. The fact that lichens obtain carbon via photosynthesis of algal cells within them (E) is not directly relevant to their use as air quality indicators. This aspect relates to their basic biology and how they obtain energy, rather than their response to air pollution.

Question 8

Six strains of the same bacterium are being grown together with Penicillium mold.One of the bacterial strains has grown up to the edge of the mold colony, while the other five have not.Which of the following is the best explanation for this difference?

Accepted Answer

The most plausible explanation is that one bacterial strain is resistant to the antibiotic produced by the mold, allowing it to grow up to the edge of the mold colony, while the other strains are inhibited by the antibiotic.

Question 9

We owe the distinctive attributes of bread, soy sauce, and Roquefort cheese to

Accepted Answer

The distinctive attributes of bread, soy sauce, and Roquefort cheese are owed to the waste products of fungal nutrient metabolism. Bread is made by the fermentation of yeast, which produces carbon dioxide gas and ethanol. Soy sauce is made by the fermentation of soybeans and wheat by the fungus Aspergillus, which produces enzymes that break down proteins and carbohydrates into amino acids and simple sugars, which are then further metabolized to produce flavor compounds such as umami. Roquefort cheese is made by the growth of Penicillium roqueforti on cheese curd, which produces enzymes that break down proteins and fats into amino acids and fatty acids, which are then further metabolized to produce flavor compounds such as blue mold and earthy aromas.

Question 10

Based on the accumulation of peat during the Carboniferous period, it can be concluded that few _______ fungal species were present at the time.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on the accumulation of peat during...

Question 11

Lichens are vulnerable to air pollution because they are unable to excrete toxic substances.They may be prone to taking up these substances because of the

Accepted Answer

The high surface area-to-volume ratio of the fungal hyphae composing the lichen makes them prone to taking up toxic substances from the air. This is because a larger surface area increases the opportunity for the uptake of substances, while the lack of an effective method for excreting toxins makes lichens highly vulnerable to pollution.

Question 12

During sexual reproduction in fungi, if karyogamy is delayed until after plasmogamy, a _______ condition can persist, creating hyphae that contain two different copies of each chromosome.

Accepted Answer

The answer of During sexual reproduction in fungi, if karyogamy...

Question 13

In fungal species with _______ hyphae, one would expect more nuclei to accumulate in areas near higher concentrations of nutrients to promote growth of hyphal branches.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In fungal species with _______ hyphae, one...

Question 14

In natural ecosystems the roles of fungi do not include

Accepted Answer

Fungi are not primary producers in natural ecosystems as they are unable to photosynthesize and create their own energy. Primary producers are typically plants or other autotrophic organisms.

Question 15

Though members of the _______ fungi have a dikaryotic stage during their sexual life cycle, they do not belong to the Dikarya clade.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Though members of the _______ fungi have...

Question 16

Collections of fungi made over many decades or centuries provide a record of environmental pollutants that were present when the fungi were growing.Which of the following is not a possible application of such data?

Accepted Answer

Collections of fungi can provide a record of environmental pollutants, but they cannot be used to measure past CO₂ levels. CO₂ is a specific compound and cannot be inferred from fungal collections.

Question 17

In spite of (or perhaps because of) a mass extinction that took place at the end of the Permian, fungi with a _______ lifestyle were able to thrive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In spite of (or perhaps because of)...

Question 18

Fungi may be important in reforestation because

Accepted Answer

Many tree species require mycorrhizae for effective establishment and growth. Mycorrhizae are symbiotic associations between fungi and the roots of plants, where the fungi provide nutrients and water to the plant in exchange for carbohydrates produced by the plant through photosynthesis. Therefore, fungi can play an important role in reforestation by facilitating the establishment and growth of tree seedlings through mycorrhizal associations.

Question 19

The fungi with reproductive habits most similar to those of plants are members of the _______ group.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The fungi with reproductive habits most similar...

Question 20

Fusarium mold, a sac fungus, is of current research interest for

Accepted Answer

Fusarium mold is a potential biological control agent for weeds and pests, making it a subject of research interest in this area. It is not typically studied for drugs, biological warfare, genetic modification, or biofuel production.

Quiz 29: The Evolution and Diversity of Fungi