Difference Between Algae And Fungi

we can consider that the cells that make up plants can be specialized, forming tissues; and in their cell wall, they incorporate a substance called cellulose. As for the way of life, they are capable of manufacturing their food through photosynthesis. Fungi and algae have no tissues. Algae and fungi are eukaryotic organisms, which are classified in the Protista kingdom and the Fungus kingdom. The Protista kingdom contains protozoa and mold in addition to algae. The major difference between algae and fungi is that algae are a group of simple, generally autotrophic organisms, ranging from single-celled to multicellular forms. On the other hand, fungi are a group of unicellular or heterotrophic organisms that live and grow on the decomposed matter.

Algae Vs. Fungi – Overview

Algae and fungi are generally associated with moss and fungi. In simple words, the green, slimy things found in dirty lakes and aquariums are Algae, while the fuzzy things are found in spoiled food or mushrooms are Fungi. the cells of algae and fungi have walls, that of fungi is made up of a substance called chitin, which is not found in plants or algae. The way of life also differentiates algae from fungi as these can photosynthesize, while fungi must acquire their food from the environment. And while fungi are primarily terrestrial, most algae are marine. Although both may appear similar, while different from each other.

Difference Between Algae And Fungi In Tabular Form

Sr. No.	Algae	Fungi
Definition	Algae are autotrophic	Fungi are heterotrophic
Domain	Eukaryote	Eukaryote
Kingdom	Protista	Mushrooms
Habitat	They are abundantly present in bodies of water, land areas, and some unusual areas like ice, snow, etc.	Most prominent in humid habitat
Reproduction	Asexual and complex, the body is Talo type.	Sexual, asexual, and spore dispersal and their body is Mycelium type.
Cell wall composition	Carbohydrates and cellulose	chitin
Examples	Freshwater algae and moss	Mushrooms, yeast, and truffles

What are Algae?

Algae are aquatic organisms that contain chlorophyll like normal plants and they contain from a single cell to many cells in the body and that they can even be 30 meters long. Algae can be easily distinguished from plants by the absence of roots, stems, and, of course, leaves. They are characterized by the lack of non-reproductive cells in reproductive structures. Like all other eukaryotic organisms, they have a nucleus enclosed within a membrane and plastids attached in one or more membranes. Algae constitute a paraphyletic and polyphyletic group, as they do not include all the descendants of the last universal ancestor nor are they descended from a common algae ancestor. This term is derived from the Latin word that means “seaweed”.

What are Fungi?

They are a diverse group of single-celled or multinucleated organisms that live and grow on the decomposed matter. While they are considered to be the very cause of decay. The zoologists have classified fungi as part of the thallophyta division of the kingdom Plantae. The term “fungi” is used in pathology in the field of medicine. In fact, it is an abnormal, spongy growth-like granulation tissue that forms in a wound from an injury. Algae are members of the Eukaryota domain, but they belong to the Mushroom kingdom. Algae contain microorganisms,i.e. molds and yeasts. Kingdom fungi differ from algae in that unlike plant cell walls, which contain cellulose, fungal cell walls contain chitin. The term fungi are derived from the Latin word, “fungo” which means “mushroom”.

Similarities B/w Algae AND Fungi

Algae and fungi both are immobile.
They both have eukaryotic cells.
Both grow in the ground
They have similarities in general morphology and growth habitat.
Fungi are considered both symbiotic and parasitic in nature, where they thrive on other living objects.
Vascular tissues are not present in both.
Both can also break down organic matter and take the necessary nutrients from organic matter.
Fungi are only single-celled, while algae vary from single cells to multicellular organisms.

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