Algae, Fungi and Lichens - Question Bank

1. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)?
A) Lack of photosynthetic pigments
B) Eukaryotic cell structure
C) Presence of a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles
D) Prokaryotic cell structure and presence of chlorophyll a
2. The 'rock-like' appearance of certain lichens is characteristic of the:
A) Foliose type
B) Fruticose type
C) Crustose type
D) Leprose type
3. Fungi play a crucial ecological role primarily as:
A) Primary producers
B) Herbivores
C) Decomposers
D) Carnivores
4. Which group of fungi includes yeasts and molds?
A) Basidiomycetes
B) Ascomycetes
C) Zygomycetes
D) All of the above
5. The term 'phycobiont' refers to the:
A) Fungal partner in a lichen
B) Algal or cyanobacterial partner in a lichen
C) Bacterial partner in a lichen
D) Entire lichen organism
6. Which is a key difference between algae and fungi?
A) Algae are heterotrophic, fungi are autotrophic.
B) Algae have cell walls of chitin, fungi have cell walls of cellulose.
C) Algae are primarily photosynthetic, fungi are absorptive heterotrophs.
D) Algae reproduce by seeds, fungi reproduce by spores.
7. Alginic acid, used as a thickening agent, is extracted from:
A) Red algae
B) Green algae
C) Brown algae
D) Diatoms
8. Which of the following is NOT a type of lichen morphology?
A) Crustose
B) Foliose
C) Fruticose
D) Filamentous
9. What is the primary function of the mycelium in fungi?
A) Reproduction via spores
B) Photosynthesis
C) Absorption of nutrients
D) Anchorage to the substrate
10. Which algae are known for their significant contribution to oxygen production in the Earth's atmosphere?
A) Only terrestrial algae
B) Only freshwater algae
C) Marine phytoplankton
D) Only symbiotic algae
11. The study of lichens is called:
A) Mycology
B) Phycology
C) Bacteriology
D) Lichenology
12. The study of algae is called:
A) Mycology
B) Bacteriology
C) Phycology
D) Lichenology
13. The study of fungi is called:
A) Algology
B) Mycology
C) Lichenology
D) Phycology
14. Which type of lichen resembles small shrubs or hangs down like a beard?
A) Crustose
B) Foliose
C) Fruticose
D) Leprose
15. Which type of lichen has a leaf-like structure with upper and lower surfaces, often lobed?
A) Crustose
B) Foliose
C) Fruticose
D) Placodioid
16. Which type of lichen grows very tightly attached to the substrate, appearing as a flat, continuous layer?
A) Foliose
B) Fruticose
C) Crustose
D) Squamulose
17. The reproductive structures of many fungi, like mushrooms, are called:
A) Thalli
B) Ascocarps
C) Basidiocarps
D) Sporocarps
18. Which of the following is a well-known example of a mold?
A) Saccharomyces cerevisiae
B) Agaricus bisporus
C) Rhizopus
D) Candida albicans
19. Which pigment is characteristic of brown algae (Phaeophyceae)?
A) Phycoerythrin
B) Fucoxanthin
C) Lutein
D) Chlorophyll d
20. Which pigment is characteristic of red algae (Rhodophyceae)?
A) Fucoxanthin
B) Chlorophyll b
C) Phycoerythrin
D) Carotene
21. The symbiotic relationship in lichens benefits the algal partner by providing:
A) Photosynthesis
B) Shelter and moisture
C) Minerals
D) Carbon dioxide
22. The symbiotic relationship in lichens benefits the fungal partner by providing:
A) Water and minerals
B) Carbon dioxide
C) Carbohydrates
D) Protection from UV radiation
23. Yeasts are unicellular fungi that reproduce primarily through:
A) Binary fission
B) Budding
C) Spore formation
D) Fragmentation
24. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of fungi regarding their mode of nutrition?
A) Autotrophic
B) Holozoic
C) Saprotrophic or parasitic
D) Chemoautotrophic
25. Kelp, a large type of seaweed, belongs to which group of algae?
A) Green algae
B) Red algae
C) Brown algae
D) Diatoms
26. The 'sea lettuce' is a common example of which group of algae?
A) Brown algae
B) Red algae
C) Green algae
D) Diatoms
27. Which group of algae includes Chlamydomonas and Spirogyra?
A) Phaeophyceae
B) Rhodophyceae
C) Chlorophyceae
D) Cyanophyceae
28. What is the term for the photosynthetic partner in a lichen?
A) Mycobiont
B) Phycobiont
C) Heterobiont
D) Autobiont
29. What is the term for the fungal partner in a lichen?
A) Phycobiont
B) Mycobiont
C) Autobiont
D) Symbiont
30. The crusty, leaf-like, and shrubby forms of lichens are classified as:
A) Crustose, foliose, and fruticose
B) Hyphal, algal, and reproductive
C) Terrestrial, aquatic, and epiphytic
D) Symbiotic, parasitic, and saprophytic
31. Lichens are often used as bioindicators because they are highly sensitive to:
A) Soil pH
B) Temperature fluctuations
C) Air pollution
D) Water availability
32. Which part of the lichen is typically responsible for anchorage and absorption of water and minerals?
A) The algal cells
B) The fungal hyphae
C) The cortex
D) The medulla
33. In a lichen, which partner provides carbohydrates through photosynthesis?
A) The fungus
B) The alga or cyanobacterium
C) Both partners equally
D) Neither partner
34. Lichens are composite organisms formed by a symbiotic association between:
A) An alga and a bacterium
B) A fungus and a bacterium
C) An alga and a fungus
D) Two different species of fungi
35. Penicillin, an important antibiotic, is derived from a species of:
A) Yeast
B) Mold (Penicillium)
C) Mushroom
D) Actinomycete
36. What is the primary role of spores in the life cycle of fungi?
A) Vegetative propagation
B) Sexual reproduction
C) Dispersal and reproduction
D) Nutrient storage
37. The powdery mildew that affects plants is caused by a type of:
A) Algae
B) Fungi
C) Bacteria
D) Virus
38. Which type of fungi are known for their symbiotic relationship with plant roots, enhancing nutrient uptake?
A) Yeasts
B) Molds
C) Mycorrhizae
D) Mushrooms
39. Fungi obtain nutrients by:
A) Photosynthesis
B) Ingestion
C) Absorption
D) Chemosynthesis
40. What is the complex carbohydrate that forms the main structural component of fungal cell walls?
A) Cellulose
B) Chitin
C) Lignin
D) Pectin
41. The vegetative body of most fungi consists of thread-like structures called:
A) Hyphae
B) Mycelium
C) Spores
D) Rhizoids
42. Which of the following is a defining characteristic of fungi?
A) Ability to perform photosynthesis
B) Cell walls made of cellulose
C) Heterotrophic nutrition (absorption)
D) Presence of true roots, stems, and leaves
43. Agar, a gelatinous substance used in laboratories and food industries, is derived from:
A) Brown algae
B) Red algae
C) Green algae
D) Diatoms
44. What is the main storage carbohydrate in green algae (Chlorophyceae)?
A) Laminarin
B) Starch
C) Floridean starch
D) Mannitol
45. Which type of algae is responsible for the 'red tide' phenomenon?
A) Dinoflagellates
B) Cyanobacteria
C) Spirogyra
D) Chlamydomonas
46. The cell walls of diatoms are primarily composed of:
A) Cellulose
B) Chitin
C) Silica
D) Pectin
47. Which group of algae is known for its multicellular, complex structures resembling plants, often found in marine environments?
A) Chlorophyceae (Green algae)
B) Phaeophyceae (Brown algae)
C) Rhodophyceae (Red algae)
D) Bacillariophyceae (Diatoms)
48. In which aquatic environment are algae predominantly found?
A) Deserts
B) Arid grasslands
C) Freshwater and marine habitats
D) High-altitude mountains
49. What is the primary pigment responsible for the green color in most algae?
A) Carotenoids
B) Phycobilins
C) Chlorophyll
D) Xanthophylls
50. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of algae?
A) Presence of vascular tissues (xylem and phloem)
B) Autotrophic nutrition through photosynthesis
C) Absence of chlorophyll
D) Reproduction exclusively by seeds