1. What one characteristic do all protists share?
All protists are eukaryotes.
2. Name the 3 main groups within the kingdom
Protista.
Protozoa – heterotrophic consumers
Algae – autotrophic producers: slime
Molds – heterotrophic decomposers
3. Give 2 reasons why protists are difficult to classify.
Some protist phyla are very distantly related and
some are more closely related to members of other
kingdoms that they are to other protists.
4. What functions do the 2 kinds of nuclei within
paramecium perform?
The macronucleus controls cell structures and
activities. Micronuclei contain all the cell’s
chromosomes and function only during conjugation,
a process of genetic exchange.
5. Name and describe the 3 basic means of movement
used by animal-like protists.
Flagella – tail-like extensions of cytoplasm that are
used in a whiplike motion to propel the organism
forward.
Pseudopods- the plasma membrane and cytoplasm
extend to form a bulge that anchors to the surface
and pulls the rest of the organism along.
Cilia- short hairlike structures on the surface of the
organism that wave.
6. Describe how the parasite Plasmodium causes
disease in humans.
The bite of a mosquito carrying Plasmodium
transmits sporozoites into a human’s bloodstream.
The sporozoites enter the liver, where they develop
and then move to red blood cells. They reproduce
asexually until the red blood cells burst open,
releasing Pasmodium cells that can then be ingested
by mosquitoes that bite the infected host.
7. COMPARE AND CONTRAST – In what ways are cilia
and flagella similar? How are they different?
Cilia and flagella are both used for movement in
protists. Both are formed from the cell membrane
and are permanent structures.
Cilia are shorter and more hairlike and can be in
rows or clusters that cover parts of a cell or the
entire cell.
Flagella are longer, and there are usually only one or
two per cell.
8. What are the similarities and differences between
green, brown, and red algae?
Green, red and brown algae are photosynthetic ad
aquatic. They are usually all multicellular. They all
have chlorophyll a. green algae also have chlorophyll
b, and brown algae also have chlorophyllc. Red algae
can grow deeper than green and brown algae due to
the blue light- absorption properties of the red
pigments.
9. Give an example of each of the following: a colonial,
and a multicellular plantlike protist.
10. In what ways are slime molds and water molds
similar to fungi?
These funguslike protists also are decomposers that
recycle nutrients back into the soil.
11. Describe how fungi use hyphae to obtain their
food.
The hyphae extend into the food source and release
enzymes that break the food down. Nutrients are
then absorbed across the cell walls.
12. How do fungi contribute to the balance of an
ecosystem?
By decomposing organic matter and recycling
nutrients.
13. What are three ways that fungi benefit humans?
a. lichens produce oxygen
b. they grow in unfavorable environments, which
then allows other organisms to grow.
c. they are indicators of air quality.
d. they are important decomposers that return
nutrients to the soil.
e. they can be used to produce antibiotic
compounds
f. their components are used as dyes.