Download Protista and Fungi Notes

The lesson you are beginning investigates the kingdom of microscopic organisms and
a variety of heterotrophic plant-like organisms known as fungi.
1. Protista are mostly unicellular, eukaryotic heterotrophic protozoans (animal-like)
and autotrophic algae (plant-like) organisms; There are more than 115,000 species
of protists.
To get an overview of the Protozoans, view the BrainPop Movie: Protozoa
2. Protozoa are classified based on their method of locomotion. The four phyla are as
follows:
A. Ciliates have cilia, the short hair-like extensions that work like little oars,
pulling organisms through the water or sweeping food particles in the water
toward their mouth. Examples include
paramecium, Vorticella and Stentor.
B. Zooflagellates (also known asMastigophorans) have flagella, longer whiplike extensions that whirl around to push organisms through the water.
Examples include Giardia (causes diarrhea) and Trichomonas (a type of
sexually transmitted disease.)
C. Sporozoans (also known as Apicomplexans) are the non-motile parasites;
Examples include Plasmodium (causes Malaria) and Trypanosome (causes
sleeping sickness); both are carried by insects to a human host and must
spend part of their life in a specific insect and then in a human host.
D. Sarcodinas (also called Pseudopodians) false feet called pseudopodia; jellylike body with or without a thin “shell”; Examples are Amoebas, radiolarians,
Entamoeba(causes dysentery)
3. Lifestyles of protozoa are varied and include the following:
A. Symbiotic such as termite & Trichonympha – termite chews wood but
cannot digest it; Trichonympha produces the enzymes to digest wood but has
no teeth so each benefits the other.
B. Parasitic organisms such as Trypanosomes are carried by the Tsetse flies.
Plasmodium is carried by Anopheles mosquitoes. Both must live and
reproduce in one host, but complete development in its other host.
C. Free-living such as paramecium & amoeba feed on other microscopic
organisms in their environment.
Before continuing with the study of Algae, watch the BrainPop Movie “Algae”
4. Algae are classified based on the type of pigments that they contain. Some of the
more commonly observed algae include:
A. Dinoflagellates are called “fire” algae due to their red, luminescent
pigment; the algae known as Gonyaulax may undergo a rapid growth and
reproductive period of time that causes millions of them to color the water a
reddish color. These organisms produce a paralytic toxin that kill thousands
of fish. This is known as a Red Tide.
B. Chrysophyta are golden-brown or yellow-green algae known as diatoms.
They have a silicon shell (glass-like) which is ground up and used in
toothpaste as an abrasive. They are transparent and symmetrical, with one
shell positioned like a lid over a box.
C. Phaeophyta are the brown algae known as kelp. They are multicellular, like
plants, but have no roots, stems or leaves.
D. Rhodophyta are reddish brown seaweeds that are also multicellular.
E. Chlorophyta are the green algae that tint the water green when a “bloom”
of billions of algae results from excess fertilizer. Too many algae can block out
light and kill other algae or plants. As bacteria decompose the dead
organisms, they use up oxygen, causing death of animals in the water.
Examples include Volvox, Spirogyra
F. Euglenophyta are unique unicellular organisms with green chlorophyll and a
long whip-like flagella; these organisms can also live as heterotrophs by
consuming nutrients. Euglena have no cell walls but are capable of
photosynthesis in the light.
5. Slime Molds are amoeba-like organisms that behave like fungi during part of their
life cycle by producing reproductive spores, but move like amoeba as long as food is
plentiful. They are not fully fungi or fully protists, but are usually grouped with
Protista.
6. Harmful Aspects of protists: algal blooms cause many water dwelling organisms to
die, red tides kill thousands of fish, and some protozoa cause life threatening
diseases.
7. Helpful Aspects include the fact that algae produce about half the earth’s oxygen
supply; algae form the base of all aquatic food chains; many algae are symbiotic
with jellyfish and corals to provide them with nutrients, seaweed are processed to
remove thickeners used in ice cream and paints, diatoms are ground up to
provide abrasives used in toothpaste and scouring powders.
Kingdom Fungi
1. Fungi are heterotrophic multicellular, eukaryotic, non-motile organisms that
produce spores to reproduce. They are ubiquitous, found almost anywhere, in both
aquatic and dry habitat.
2. Lifestyles of fungi are varied:
A. Parasitic species that live in or on a host; examples include ringworm,
athletes foot, crop rust, Black spot, ergot, and corn smut.
B. Mutualistic fungi share relationships with certain kinds of algae; the
photosynthetic algae produce food for the fungi and the fungi absorbs water
and provides protection for the algae. This combination is called a lichen and
because of its symbiotic relationship it can survive even on bare rock. Lichens
are called “pioneer species” because of their ability to survive on very few
nutrients and can erode rocks to create soil.
C. Free Living fungi are not dependent on other organisms for survival. These
include mushrooms, puffballs, shelf fungi and yeast.
3. Fungi are composed of thousands of thin root-like filaments that branch out to
absorb water and nutrients.
A. Hyphae are the filaments of fungi that secrete enzymes to digest nutrients
externally, then absorb them. Sometimes the nuclei of hyphae cells fuse with
a nucleus in the hyphae of another fungus to reproduce sexually.
B. Mycelium is the term used to describe hundreds of filaments fused into a
solid looking above ground fungi such as a mushroom.
C. The “fruiting body” is the part of a mycelium that produces reproductive
spores. In a mushroom there are gills underneath the cap which make and
release the spores. Each spore will divide and grow into a new fungus.
D. Some fungi reproduce by budding (yeast), or divide by mitosis
4. Harmful Fungi include
A. Those that kill crops, such a smut and rust.
B. Some mushrooms are poisonous and others are hallucinogens.
C. Mildew and mold destroys fabrics and food.
5. Helpful Fungi include
A. Penicillin antibiotics are made from a mold known as penicillium.
B. Fungi that are edible, such as mushrooms and truffles, or yeast used to
make bread.
C. Decomposition of dead plants and animals helps to recycle their nutrients.
D. Cheeses are produced using several different fungi.
E. Lichens are important to many ecosystems in forming soil and retaining
moisture.
6. Fungi are classified by the method of spore production.
A. Zygomycota – black bread mold; spores in sporangiophore
B. Oomycota – water mold; spores in gametangia
C. Ascomycota – yeast; spores in ascus sac
D. Basidomycota – mushrooms and puffballs; spores in basidum
E. Deuteromycota – ringworm, athletes foot, used in some cheeses; no
spores