Question

A biologist came across a fungus on a beach. Upon further study, he found out that the fungus could feed on dead matter. It can also feed on living matter, but it harms the organisms in the process. In which two groups of fungi could the biologist place the fungus?

Answer 1

Answer: Saprophytic and parasitic fungi

Explanation:

The fungi feeds on the dead and decaying matter and obtain energy from them for their metabolic processes.

While feeding on the dead and decaying organic matter the fungi shows saprophytic mode of nutrition.

The Fungi also feed on the host cell and harms it. In this way fungi shows parasitic mode of nutrition. This is mode of nutrition which one species gets benefit by harming the other species.

Answer 2

The fungus could be either a saprotroph or a heterotroph. A saprotroph is a decomposer. A heterotroph consumes an organism for energy.