Question

Fungi deriving their nutrition from dead biomass all called

• A. Endophytic fungi
• B. Parasitic fungi
• C. Saprophytic fungi
• D. Symbiotic fungi

Hint:

Organisms that feed on dead and decaying organic matter are called saprophytes. This term directly identifies saprophytic fungi.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Fungi are heterotrophic organisms that cannot synthesize their own organic carbon.
They must obtain nutrients from external sources using different ecological survival strategies.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze each of the fungal feeding strategies listed in the options:
- Endophytic fungi (A) live inside the living tissues of plants, usually forming a harmless or beneficial symbiotic relationship with the host.
- Parasitic fungi (B) live on or inside a living host organism, obtaining nutrients at the expense of the host and often causing disease.
- Symbiotic fungi (D) form mutually beneficial associations with other living organisms, such as mycorrhizae with plant roots or photobionts in lichens.
- Saprophytic fungi (C) are decomposers that obtain their nutrients directly from dead, decaying organic biomass.
They secrete extracellular enzymes (such as cellulases and ligninases) into their surroundings to break down complex polymers into simpler monomers, which are then absorbed across the fungal cell wall.
This ecological role is essential for nutrient cycling in ecosystems.
Therefore, fungi that derive nutrition from dead biomass are called saprophytic fungi.

Step 3: Final Answer:
This feeding type corresponds to option (C).