Biological Classification – NEET Biology MCQs (Part 9)

Correct Answer: B

Most fungi are heterotrophic organisms that cannot prepare their own food. Instead, they obtain nutrients by absorbing soluble organic matter from dead and decaying organic substances such as fallen leaves, wood and other organic debris. Because they feed on dead organic matter, such fungi are called saprophytes. They play an important role in decomposition and nutrient recycling in ecosystems.

Correct Answer: B

Some fungi obtain their food from living plants and animals instead of dead organic matter. These fungi live on or inside the host organism and absorb nutrients from it. Because they depend on a living host for their nutrition and may cause diseases, such fungi are called parasites. Examples include fungi that cause plant diseases like rust and smut.

Correct Answer: A

Some fungi live in symbiotic relationships with other organisms. When fungi associate with algae, they form lichens. In lichens, the algae provide food through photosynthesis while the fungus offers protection and support. Fungi can also associate with the roots of higher plants to form mycorrhiza. In this relationship, the fungus helps the plant absorb water and minerals, while the plant supplies food to the fungus.

Correct Answer: A

Fungi can reproduce by vegetative methods such as fragmentation, fission and budding. In fragmentation, the fungal mycelium breaks into pieces and each piece grows into a new individual. In fission, a cell divides into two daughter cells. In budding, a small outgrowth develops from the parent cell and eventually separates to form a new organism. These methods help fungi multiply rapidly under favorable conditions.

Correct Answer: A

Fungi reproduce asexually by producing different types of spores. These include conidia, sporangiospores and zoospores. Conidia are non-motile spores formed externally on specialized hyphae called conidiophores. Sporangiospores are produced inside sac-like structures called sporangia. Zoospores are motile spores that possess flagella and can move in water. These spores help fungi spread and reproduce quickly under favorable conditions.

Correct Answer: B

Sexual reproduction in fungi results in the formation of special types of spores. These include oospores, ascospores and basidiospores. Oospores are formed in certain lower fungi, ascospores are produced inside sac-like structures called asci, and basidiospores are formed on structures known as basidia. These spores help fungi survive unfavorable conditions and promote genetic variation.

Correct Answer: A

Fungi are classified into different classes based on several structural and reproductive features. Important criteria include the morphology of the mycelium, the method by which spores are formed and the type of fruiting bodies produced. These characteristics help scientists distinguish between different groups of fungi and understand their life cycles and evolutionary relationships.