What is Algae?
The kingdom of Protista includes algae. It is mostly found in fresh and marine waters. It is classified as a eukaryotic organism. Cyanobacteria, on the other hand, are prokaryotic. The reserve food material is starch in algae. It plays a significant function in ecosystem productivity since it is a key component of the aquatic food chain. In the ecosystem, it is a primary producer.
Algae are autotrophs because they manufacture food through the photosynthesis process. Algae is responsible for a large percentage of oxygen production. It does so by converting carbon dioxide to oxygen. Algae include red algae, seaweed, and freshwater moss, to name a few. Algae don’t possess roots, stems and leaves like many other plants. Since unicellular algae belong to the Protista kingdom and multicellular algae belongs to the Plantae kingdom, algae are classified as both Plantae and Protista.
Agar-agar, for example, is used as a food. Algae reproduce in three ways: asexually, sexually, and vegetatively. Algae can also be divided into three groups: Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae, and Rhodophyceae.
What is Fungi?
Fungi belong to the kingdom fungi. They are heterotrophs and they store food in the form of glycogen and oil. All the fungi are eukaryotes. For sustenance, fungi rely on dead and degraded substances. Fungi’s cell walls are comprised of chitin, making them one-of-a-kind. There is no photosynthesis since there are no chlorophylls.
Fungi have hyphae, which are long thread-like structures. Mycelium is a collection of hyphae. Fungi reproduce in three ways: vegetative, sexual, and asexual. Budding, fragmentation, and fission are all methods of vegetative reproduction in fungi. Asexual reproduction is carried out via spores. Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota are the most common fungal classifications. Mycology is the scientific study of fungi.
Fungi is a parasitic organism that can survive in the absence of sunlight. Multinucleated cells are also found in fungi. Fungi is the plural form of the word fungus, which means sponge. Mushrooms are the most common example of fungi.
Difference Between Algae and Fungi
- Algae belong to the kingdom Protista, whereas, Fungi belongs to the kingdom Fungi.
- Algae may be found in both fresh and saltwater, while fungi can be found on land and in rotted, dead carcasses.
- Algae have chlorophyll and produce food through photosynthesis; fungi, on the other hand, do not have chlorophyll and do not produce food through photosynthesis.
- The cell wall of algae is made up of cellulose, meanwhile, the cell of fungi is made up of a unique ingredient called chitin.
- Fungi store food in the form of glycogen and oil globules, whereas algae store food in the form of starch.
Comparison Between Algae and Fungi
| Parameters of Comparison | Algae | Fungi |
| Habitat | Freshwater and saltwater are both home to algae. They can be found in a variety of aquatic environments, including damp stones, soil, and freshwater. | Fungi can be found on rotting and dead stuff, as well as in soil. They love to live in dark, wet environments. |
| Meaning | The word algae means seaweed. | The word fungus means sponge. |
| Kingdom | Algae comes under the kingdom Protista. | Fungi come under the kingdom fungi. |
| Mode of nutrition | Algae are autotrophic organisms. Self-feeders are another name for them. They prepare food in the presence of light and air. | Fungi are heterotrophic organisms. They take up nutrients from the environment by absorbing organic molecules. |
| Parasite | Algae are not parasites in nature. | In the natural world, fungi are parasitic. They coexist with other creatures in a symbiotic arrangement. |