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Water Molds Phylum: Oomycota. Micah Vinovskis and Jess Zelenak. Body. Has a body called a mycelium Mycelium- body that grows over organic material, digests it, and then absorbs the predigested nutrients Hyphae- threadlike structures that make up the mycelium and are coenocytic
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Water MoldsPhylum: Oomycota Micah Vinovskis and Jess Zelenak
Body • Has a body called a mycelium • Mycelium- body that grows over organic material, digests it, and then absorbs the predigested nutrients • Hyphae- threadlike structures that make up the mycelium and are coenocytic • Coenocytic- does not have a cell wall and the body is one giant multinucleate cell • Cell walls are made up of: cellulose (like plants), chitin (like fungi), or both
Reproduction • Reproduce asexually when conditions are favorable • Hyphal tip swells and a cross wall is formed which separates the hyphal tip from the rest of the mycelium • Within the zoosporangium tiny biflagellate zoospores form that can develop into a new mycelium
Reproduction continued… • Reproduce sexually when conditions are unfavorable. • Fusion of male and female nuclei occurs • Oospore- thick walled spore develops from the zygote • Usually overwinter as oospores
Irish Potato Famine • During the 19th century, Ireland potatoes were hit with Phytophthora infestans which caused late blight of potatoes • Several rainy, cool summers in Ireland caused the water molds to multiply and attack the potato tubers