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Questions and Answers
What distinguishes protists from other eukaryotic organisms?
What distinguishes protists from other eukaryotic organisms?
What type of reproduction is most commonly seen in protists?
What type of reproduction is most commonly seen in protists?
Which of the following is a consequence of declining phytoplankton populations?
Which of the following is a consequence of declining phytoplankton populations?
How do protists primarily move?
How do protists primarily move?
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Why might malaria transmission increase with rising global temperatures?
Why might malaria transmission increase with rising global temperatures?
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Study Notes
Kingdom Protista
- Protists first appeared in the fossil record approximately 1.5 billion years after bacteria.
- Protists are eukaryotes, possessing a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
- They do not fit into other Kingdoms (fungi, animals, or plants).
- Most protists are microscopic and unicellular, but some are multicellular (e.g., kelp, seaweed).
Protist Characteristics
- Many are heterotrophs, meaning they obtain energy by consuming other organisms.
- Some protists are autotrophs, obtaining energy through photosynthesis.
- Most protists live in water; some live in the tissues of other organisms.
- Reproduction methods include asexual reproduction (e.g., binary fission) and sexual reproduction (e.g., exchanging gametes). Some reproduce through fragmentation.
- Protists can move using various mechanisms, including pseudopods (extensions of cytoplasm), flagella (whip-like structures), and cilia (tiny hair-like structures).
Importance of Protists
- Phytoplankton (microscopic algae) produce a significant portion of Earth's oxygen.
- Phytoplankton populations are declining due to warming ocean temperatures, which are also causing ocean acidification.
- Coral reefs depend on symbiotic relationships with zooxanthellae (protists). Loss of zooxanthellae can cause coral bleaching.
Parasitic Protists
- Malaria is an example of a parasitic protist caused by Plasmodium.
- Plasmodium is transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito, which thrives in tropical climates.
- Rising global temperatures could potentially expand the range of Anopheles mosquitoes and malaria, though this is a complex matter.
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of Protists, the eukaryotic organisms that do not fit into other kingdoms like fungi, animals, or plants. Discover their characteristics, methods of reproduction, and importance in ecosystems. Learn how these microscopic to multicellular organisms contribute to both aquatic environments and human life.
