Fungi are a group of organisms that, despite being plants, have no leaves or flowers. In fact, fungi do not even share the green colour that most other plants display. Scientists estimate that there are over 1.5 million different species of fungi in the world. Though, to date, only 100.000 have been identified, leaving many more that have not been found. One interesting feature of fungi is that they often interact with oilier organisms in order to survive. These relationships are at times beneficial to both organisms. Other times, the fungus benefits without causing harm to the other organism.

   Many types of fungus have beneficial relationships with plants. Initially many gardeners would be concerned to know that their plants were colonised by a fungus. This is because some fungi can cause plants to die. In fact, the Irish potato famine was caused by a fungus that killed entire crops of potatoes. However, many plants actually depend on certain types of fungi to help it stay healthy. Fungi are important to plants because they help plants absorb more minerals from the soil than they could on their own. The reason for this has to do with how fungi obtain food. Unlike green plants, fungi cannot make their own food. They must absorb their food. When the fungi absorb minerals from the soil, they draw the nutrients closer to the roots of the plants, so the plant is able to use them as well. The fungus also benefits from this relationship. Using the minerals from the soil, as well as sunlight, the plants is able to produce sugars and other nutrients. Then the fungus absorbs the nutrients from plant roots and uses them to survive.

   Not all relationships are beneficial for both organisms: in some interactions, only the fungus benefits. Still, for some fungus species, contact with other organisms is essential. And though the fungi do not provide any benefits for the other organism, they do not harm it either. One example of this is a species called Pilobolus. This fungus relies on other animals to help it reproduce. The Pilobolus grows in animal dung. When it becomes mature, it shoots its spores away from the dung pile. The spores land in the grass where cows graze. The spores are consumed by the animal but do not grow while inside the stomach. They travel through the body of the animal until they are passed and deposited in another area, where they continue to grow.

According to paragraph 2, which of the following is not true about fungus growing on or near plants?

Câu hỏi liên quan

• Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

• It can be inferred from the passage that _____________

• As mentioned in the text, who are the most active when their team has the ball?

ZUNIA12

• The best title for this pasage would be .............

• According to the passage, what is noise?

• Who were the first people to have seen these apelike creatures before the five campers?

• According to the second paragraph, a useful theory is one that helps scientists to _______.

• M.L. was ................. by the atmosphere in which he grew up.

• The word "fine" in the passage is closest in meaning to ______.

• According to the passage, people respond to loud noises in the same way that they respond to ___.

• According to the passage the first fire used by people was probably obtained ..........

• Which of the following is NOT supported by the passage?

• The purpose of the passage is to ________.

• According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT ................

• According to the passage, one benefit of diagrams is ...............

• The word “their” in line 1 refers to ...........

• The changes possibly caused by the cell phones are mainly concerned with ..........

• Which of the following has nothing to do with the isolation among Americans?

• The word "symptoms" is closest in meaning to ___________.

• The word “excluded” is closest meaning to ___________ .