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Discovering the Diversity of Protists: From Algae to Protozoa

The kingdom Protista showcases an extraordinary diversity of life forms, including unicellular and multicellular organisms such as algae, protozoa, and slime molds. Protists occupy nearly every habitat on Earth, thriving in moisture-rich environments. They can photosynthesize or obtain nutrients by engulfing food, displaying unique characteristics through various phyla. With eukaryotic cells and diverse reproductive strategies, protists play a vital role in ecosystems as primary producers, contributing significantly to global oxygen production and serving essential purposes for humans.

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Discovering the Diversity of Protists: From Algae to Protozoa

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  1. Kingdom Protista The Miscellaneous Category

  2. Animal like (4) Plant like (6) Protists Paramecium Fungi like (1) volvox Hartmanella vermiformis Protozoan Protists: • A varied kingdom with 11 phyla that have little in common! • Incredible biodiversity  occupying almost every niche and habitat!

  3. Features • Most are unicellular. Some form colonies of identical cells. A few are multi-cellular but don’t form tissue (algae) • Cells are eukaryotic – membrane- bound nucleus, most have vacuoles & mitochondria, some have chloroplasts. • Cell reproduce asexually through binary fission. Some exchange DNA via conjugation • Cells thrive in moist environments (fresh or salt water, animal fluids & very damp terrestrial environment)

  4. eyespot Mitochondrion Structure(Figure 2, Pg. 128)

  5. Spirogyra diatoms Polysiphonia Red Algae Plant-Like Protists • Contain chlorophyll  can photosynthesize (autotrophs) • But… during dark periods, can engulf nutrients from their environment (heterotrophs) • Most have 2 flagella for locomotion • Examples: species of green, brown and red algae

  6. Amoeba proteus Arcella, a common shelled amoeba  Paramecium Animal-Like Protists • All are heterotrophs  can gather nutrients by engulfing their food or by absorbing it through their membranes • Classified by type of locomotion (cilia and flagella) • Reproduce by binary fission • Examples: • Amoeba (feed by phagocytosis • Paramecium (feeds via an oral groove)

  7. Importance of Protists: • Provide the critical base to most food webs Algae • Primary food producers in aquatic food chains • Provide 80% of the world’s oxygen • Used by humans as food, fertilizers, drugs, cosmetics, etc…

  8. HELP ME! The End!!!

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