PROTISTS and FUNGI
I. Kingdom Protista – very diverse; any eukaryote that is NOT plant, animal, fungi or bacteria
A. General Characteristics
1. Most are – unicellular, few are -- multicellular
2. All are – eukaryotes
3. Protists are classified by how they obtain nutrition:
a. animal-like – heterotrophs
b. plant-like – autotrophs
c. fungus-like – decomposers
B. Animal-like protists – some are free-living, some are parasitic (cause Malaria, African sleeping sickness)
Examples:
1. Paramecium
cell membrane
cilia
cytoplasm
contractile vacuole
a. heterotrophic
b. pumps out water, maintaining water balance in a cell – contractile vacuole (imp. for homeostasis)
c. method of movement – cilia
2. Amoeba
cell membrane
pseudopod
vacuole
cytoplasm
contractile vacuole
nucleus
a. false foot – pseudopod
b. method of movement – cytoplasmic streaming
C. Plant-like protists – Example:
1. Euglena
cell membrane
cytoplasm
flagellum
chloroplast
nucleus
eyespot
contractile vacuole
a. presence of chloroplast – producer, autotroph
b. method of movement – flagellum, whip like tail
c. eyespot – light sensitive – moves organism toward light for photosynthesis
2. unicellular algae -- provides a source of nourishment for other organisms
3. red, brown and green algae – multicellular
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D. Importance
1. Beneficial
a. outer covering of some protists form– hard silica shell = diatoms
used in toothpaste and scouring powder
b. plankton --food source for other organisms
c. algae – used to make thickener for foods
2. Harmful
a. some protists produce a red pigment, too many protists cause – red tide (harmful to fish)
b. mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by protists – Malaria
c. algal bloom- enormous mass of algae – covers ponds, uses up O2 and kills fish
d. Naegleria fowleri – killer amoeba
II. Kingdom Fungi
A. General Characteristics
1. Few are unicellular but most are – multicellular
2. They all have cell walls – made of chitin (not cellulose like plants)
3. They are plant-like - can’t move about BUT they cannot make their own food – no chloroplasts, not green
4. All are – heterotrophs
5. They are either:
a. parasites – obtain food from living organisms
b. saprophytes – obtain food from dead organisms
6. Obtain nutrition by – releasing digestive enzymes on organic material and absorbing nutrients
B. Examples
1. Bread molds -
spores
hypha (pl. hyphae)
mycelium (NOT
roots)
Fruiting
body
cap
gills
2. Mushrooms –
fruiting body
stalk
spores
mycelium
3. Yeast – unicellular
4. Ringworm and athletes foot (parasites)
5. Symbiotic relationships:
Lichens – symbiotic relationship between – fungus and algae
Fungus provides moisture, algae provides food – mutualism – both benefit
Mycorrhizae – symbiotic relationship between – fungus and plant roots
Fungus helps roots absorb moisture and nutrients, roots provide fungus with products of photosynthesis
C. Importance
1. Beneficial
a. food – mushrooms, yeast, cheeses
b. medicines -- penicillin
c. decomposers – recycle nutrients back into soil for plants
2. Harmful
a. plant diseases – smuts, rusts, mildew
b. human diseases – ringworm, athlete’s foot
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