Due totheir small size, protists are difficult to observe in the field. Kingdom Fungi The fungi are a diverse assemblage of organisms. Jelly, coral, disc, sponge, and gilled fungi each come in a bewildering array of forms. All fungi have an underground web-like network of cells called mycelium. The mycelium is the vegetative body of a fungus.
Fungi are heterotrophic, but some form associations with autotrophs.
Lichens are an association between a fungus and an alga. Mycorrhizae are a complex between a fungus and the roots of a higher plant. Yeast fungi produce alcohol as grape juice is converted to wine and carbon dioxide as bread dough is allowed to rise. Fungi play a vital role as decomposers in the environment. Kingdom Plantae Plants are the dominant land organisms.