4. Slime Moulds: Slime molds are saprophytic protists. They feed on organic matter from decaying twigs and leaves. During unfavorable condition, they forms spores which are resistant and survive in extreme conditions. Spores of these organisms can survive for several years and be dispersed by air.

Figure 2.1 : Five Kingdoms of Living Organism.

KINGDOM FUNGI: Fungi are heterotypic organisms and constitute a unique kingdom. They exhibits great diversity in morphology, living type and habitat. They are unicellular (yeast) to muticellular (pencillium) organism. They are universally present in air, water, soli, plant and on animal body. These organisms are infectious (candida) and non-infectious (yeast). In addition, they live as symbiont; lichens (algae with fungi) and mycorrhiza (plant and fungi). These organisms are commercially being used in fermentation to produce alchol, antibiotics, vitamin and other products. Mushroom is used as edible fungi. The cell wall of fungi is composed of chitin and polysaccharides. Reproduction in fungi is mostly by vegetative method such as fragmentation, fission, budding and asexual reproductiuon by spores.