Protist Basics & Evolution
The informal term used to describe eukaryotes that aren’t plants, animals, or fungi.
What are protists?
This supergroup includes algae like red and green algae and is closely related to land plants.
What is Archaeplastida?
Long, hair-like projections used by many protists for movement and feeding.
What are cilia?
Protists like diatoms and dinoflagellates that perform photosynthesis are major contributors to this global cycle.
What is the carbon cycle?
This type of endosymbiosis involves a eukaryote engulfing a photosynthetic eukaryote.
What is secondary endosymbiosis?
Protists are mostly this type of organism, in terms of cell number.
What are mostly unicellular organisms?
Name the group represented by Stramenopiles, Alveolates, and Rhizarians.
What is SAR?
Protists that combine photosynthesis and heterotrophic nutrition are called this.
What are mixotrophs?
Protists that form mutually beneficial relationships with coral polyps provide energy through this process.
What is photosynthesis
A supergroup origin hypothesized from secondary endosymbiosis includes Stramenopiles and Alveolates because of a red algal ancestor.
What is evidence for SAR origin?
Name the evolutionary event believed to have originated mitochondria and plastids in eukaryotes.
What is endosymbiosis?
This supergroup includes amoebozoans and protists closely related to animals and fungi.
What is Unikonta?
These tests (shells) made of calcium carbonate are characteristic of some Rhizarians.
What are foraminiferan tests?
The protist Plasmodium, which has a complex life cycle involving humans and mosquitoes, causes this disease.
What is malaria?
Sexual life cycles that alternate between multicellular haploid and diploid stages are examples of this phenomenon.
What is alternation of generations?
Protists are no longer grouped as a single kingdom because this type of data revealed new relationships.
What is molecular (DNA) sequence analysis?
The excavates often have modified mitochondria and unique modes of locomotion.
What is Excavata?
This organelle’s primary job in freshwater protists is to maintain osmotic balance.
What is the contractile vacuole?
Protists that feed on bacteria and break down organic matter help purify water in this ecological process.
What is decomposition?
Some protists change their life strategies depending on environmental conditions — name one advantage of having both sexual and asexual reproduction.
What is increased genetic variation or rapid colonization?
This theory explains how a heterotrophic cell acquired a cyanobacterial ancestor of chloroplasts.
What is primary endosymbiosis?
Dinoflagellates, ciliates, and apicomplexans are members of this protist subgroup.
What are Alveolates?
The thread-like extensions used by certain protists for movement and feeding are called this.
What are pseudopodia?
A rapidly growing algal population can cause these harmful events in aquatic ecosystems.
What are algal blooms (e.g., red tides)?
Plastids surrounded by more than two membranes are evidence of this evolutionary process.
What is multiple rounds of endosymbiosis?