Fungi as decomposers
Fungi are an important part of ecosystem nutrient cycles. These bracket fungi growing on the side of a tree are the fruiting structures of a basidiomycete. They receive their nutrients through their hyphae, which invade and decay the tree trunk.
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"OpenStax College, Biology. November 12, 2013."
http://cnx.org/content/m44632/latest/?collection=col11448/latest
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