FungalFAX:
Introductory Mycology (BIOL/PLHL 4054) - FALL 2002

LECTURE
Meredith Blackwell
Department of Biological Sciences 
LSB 386 
mblackwell@lsu.edu

OFFICE HOURS: almost anytime, but with an appointment, please 
388-8551 
Text: Alexopoulos, C. J., C. W. Mims, and M. Blackwell. 1996. Introductory Mycology. John Wiley & Sons, New York.  869p.
Fungi modify our environment by performing important functions, especially those associated with their ability to metabolize a wide variety of carbohydrates and in providing nutrients to the organisms with which they interact. During the course you will 1) learn of the activities of fungi and their importance in making life on Earth possible, 2) collect and identify fungi from their natural habitats , and 3) observe fungi under the microscope in the laboratory. 
To think about: extinction of pathogens
From left to right :  Fig. 1. Individual of Chytridium(Chytridiomycota) growing on a single pine pollen grain. Successive photos show zoospore release from the sporangium, and the arrow points to a flagellum. Copyright © H. Whisler, M. Fuller 1996. Fig. 2. Black sporangium atop swollen sporangiophore of Pilobolus(Zygomycota). Shortly, the swollen subsporangial vesicle will burst to send the sporangium flying. Herbivores eat the sporangium, and the enclosed mitospores germinate in the dung. The bright yellow carotenoid pigment enables the sporangium to orient to light (phototropism). If you look closely, you can see masses of nematodes on the vesicle; probably herbivore pathogens hoping to hitch a ride. Copyright © M. Blackwell 1996.  Fig. 3. Massed fruiting bodies of Laetiporus sulphureus,the chicken-of-the-woods (Basidiomycota). The tiny tubular filaments (hyphae) that make the body of this fungus (mycelium) are growing in the old, dead wood of a large cherry tree. Laetiporusis not a parasite, but the decay may weaken the tree so much that wind or ice storms can topple it. Copyright © M. Blackwell 1996.  Fig. 4. Fruiting body of Scarcoscypha coccinea, the scarlet cup fungus (Ascomycota). Hundreds of millions of meiospores (ascospores) are discharged from this cup, usually in puffs that produce visible clouds of spores. Copyright © J. Spatafora 1996. From Fungi in the Tree of Life by Meredith Blackwell, Rytas Vilgalys, and John W. Taylor.
Syllabus for Introductory Mycology (BIOL/PLHL  4054) -Fall 2002
Lecture: Monday 9:40-10:30, 1:40-2:30, Wednesday 9:40-10:30
Laboratory: Monday 2:40-5:30
308 LSB 
Lecture Topic (text readings) Laboratory Topic
26 Aug Introduction: Overview of Fungi  and fungus-like organisms (Chapters 1-3) (see Table 1) Internet resources
28 Aug  Slime molds I: Myxomycetes, the plasmiodial slime molds (Chapter 29)  
02 Sep Labor Day No laboratory
04 Sep Slime molds II:  Cellular slime molds and others (Table 2) (Chapters 26-28)  
09 Sep Diploid zoosporic "fungi" I: Oomycetes: Gametic meiosis (Table 1) (Chapter 23) Slime molds: streaming plasmodia and gleaming sporangia for identification; water molds and plant pathogens
11 Sep Diploid zoosporic "fungi" II: Oomycetes in the environment, Oomycetes as plant pathogens   
16 Sep Haploid zoosporic fungi and dead frogs: Chytridiomycota (Chapter 4) Can you see the chytrid?  Zygote-forming fungi and their beautiful sporangia; AM fungi   
18 Sep Zygomycetes I: Mucorales and other groups (Chapter 5)  
23 Sep Zygomycetes II: Endogonales, Glomales (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi), arthropod associates (Chapters 5, 6) Moist chambers and baits for fungi
 
25 Sep Ascomycetes I: Introduction to the Ascomycetes (Chapter 7)  
30 Sep Exam 1 Ascomycetes from dung
02 Oct Ascomycetes II: Asexual reproduction (Chapter  8)  
07 Oct Ascomycetes III: Early branches and derived yeasts (Chapters 9, 10) Conidia from the air
09 Oct Ascomycetes IV: Filamentous ascomycetes, Eurotiales (Chapter 11)  
14 Oct Ascomycetes V:  Pyrenomycetes (Chapter 12 ) Life cycles and interactions
16 Oct Ascomycetes VI: Pyrenomycetes  
21 Oct Ascomycetes VII: Plant pathogens (Chapter 13) Laboratory exam (material from 26 Aug- 16 0ct)
23 Oct Ascomycetes VIII: Discomycetes (Chapter 13)  
28 Oct Ascomycetes IX: Loculoascomycetes (Chapter 14) Ascomycetes from wood
30 Oct Ascomyctees X: Other groups (Chapter 15)  
04 Nov Basidiomycetes I: Introduction to the Basidiomycetes (Chapter 16) Moist chambers revisited
06 Nov Exam 2  
11 Nov Basidiomycetes III: Sexual and somatic compatibility Basidiomycete life cycle: isolation of spores and mating type determination
13 Nov Basidiomycetes IV: Agarics and more and more (Chapter 17)  
18 Nov  Basidiomycetes IV: Mycorrhizae  Isolation of spores and mating type determination
20 Nov Basidiomycetes V: Polypores and corticioid fungi plus (Chapter 19)  
25 Nov Basidiomycetes VII: Rusts and related forms plus (Chapters 20,  22) Basidiomycetes: below ground and above, life cycle slides and witches' brooms
27 Nov Basidiomycetes VIII: Smuts (Chapter 21)  
02 Dec Fungi in perspective Laboratory Exam (material from 28 Oct-25 Nov)
04 Dec  Review; COLLECTIONS DUE   
10 Dec Exam 3 and Cumulative Final Exam (Tuesday, 3:00- 5:00 pm)  
Mycology - GENERAL INFORMATION
Grades will be determined on the basis of:
The final letter grade for the course will be based on the following scale: Your letter grade will not be lower than stated in this scale, but you may do better if grades are curved
Lecture exams are scheduled as follows:
The laboratory grade will be based on the following:
       Collections:  30%
Field collection (number of specimens identified to genus) :
Ascomycetes (4)
Basidiomycetes (4)
Myxomycetes (2)
Culture collection (number of cultures identified to genus):
Asexual fungi (7)
Zygomycetes (2)
Basidiomycetes (1)
      Exams: 35% each (21 Oct and 2 December)
You will need to use the Internet and your official LSU mail address.  Computers with Internet Access are located in the lobby of the Life Sciences Building and in Middleton Library. 
Last Modified: August 25, 2002
Maintained by Meredith Blackwell
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