The wonder of mushrooms

Wild mushrooms are living things that grow on forest floors, tree trunks and even on top of each other. They need moist, cool temperatures and some light. Wild mushrooms are seasonal and can be found in autumn and spring.

There are many different types of wild mushrooms, but they can look very similar. This makes them very hard to identify. Wild mushrooms are often spectacular. Some are edible and delicious, but others are poisonous.

In addition, some wild mushrooms have healing capabilities. These mushrooms can help fight against bacteria, inflammation and even cancer. They are known as medicinal mushrooms.

Fungi are different living things from plants and animals. Like plants, they cannot move about and many of them grow in soil. Like animals, fungi cannot make their own food.

Fungi can feed on other organisms or their remains. Therefore, they can be found not only on the ground, but also on pieces of wood or on decomposing food.

Types of fungi

Fungi are classified into two groups:

• Unicellular fungi, like yeasts.
• Multicellular fungi, like mushrooms and moulds.

Some fungi produce mushrooms. A mushroom is only the visible part of a fungus. The main part of these fungi grows beneath the soil, and can be several kilometres long! In autumn and spring, the fungi grow above ground as mushrooms so they can reproduce. The main parts of a mushroom are the cap, the gills, the ring and the stem.

Protists include two very different types of organisms: algae and protozoa.

Algae

Algae are aquatic living things that can be unicellular or multicellular. They can make their own food. Some multicellular marine algae can grow to a very large size.

Algae are very nutritious, so they are used as food in many countries. They are also used as fertilizer and to produce cosmetics. 

Uses of algae. A. Sushi. B. Fertilizer. C. Beauty mask.

Monerans are unicellular living things. This kingdom includes bacteria, the most abundant of all living things.

Bacteria

Bacteria are the smallest and simplest living things, and can only be seen through a microscope.

Most bacteria feed on other organisms, but some bacteria make their own food.

Bacteria can be found everywhere in the world. They can live in all kinds of environments: in water, soil, air or inside other living things.

Some bacteria are helpful, like the ones used to make yoghurt, but others are harmful, like the ones that cause cholera.