What is the role of fungi in the ecosystem?

Fungi are vital decomposers in the ecosystem, breaking down dead organisms and biological waste, freeing nutrients for use by other organisms and clearing away their remains. Fungi also act in partnership with some plants and algae, and are often vital to the survival of these organisms. read more

Fungi play an important role in energy cycling within, and between, ecosystems. Fungi are found in terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, and are part of a diverse community of “decomposers” that break down dead plants and animals. read more

Among microorganisms, fungi play important roles in the process of decomposition and mineralization of organic matter in marine ecosystems (Hyde et al., 1998; Jones, 2011;Velez et al., 2013). read more