Fungi

Fungi

The kingdom Fungi is one of the most diverse groups, ranging from one-celled yeasts to actually the largest and oldest organisms on earth. They are widely distributed in nearly all habitats on Earth.

They play important roles and provide major ecosystem services in soil as drivers of carbon and nutrient cycling, humification, mineral weathering, plant nutrition, pathology, soil structure maintenance and water cycling.

Soil fungi can be grouped into three general functional groups: Saprotrophic fungi (living from dead organic material), mutualists (living with organisms and causing mutual benefits, for instance mycorrhizal fungi) and pathogens (causing disease or ultimately the death of their hosts).