Protists

Discover the fascinating world of protists! Learn about their unique characteristics and classification.

Getting The Idea If I were to ask you to identify examples of living things, you would more than likely name some familiar animals and plants. However, most living things on Earth are not animals or plants! Protists and fungi are organisms that are probably not as familiar to you as other living things, but they are important parts of most ecosystems on Earth.As you read through this Wizer, make sure to copy down all notes that are either in tealfont or the chart. You may make this information short and skinny, these are YOUR notes so as long as you understand it you can record, or draw and label, however it makes sense to you! EdPuzzle-Amoeba Sisters: Protists Characteristics of Protists Remember that living things are classified into kingdoms based on how they get their food and by the number of cells that make up their bodies. The protist kingdom contains such a huge variety of organisms that they are difficult to classify. It is also known as the kingdom Protista. Though nearly all organisms in this kingdom are made up of only one cell, a few are made up of more than one cell. An organism made up of one cell is said to be unicellular and organisms that are made up of more than one cell are said to be multi-cellular. Kelp and seaweed are multi-cellular, but they are protists. One thing protsits do have in common is that all of them live in moist and wet environments. Obtaining Resources In order to be an organisms, it must have a way to obtain resources for energy. Some protists are autotrophs. Remember that autotrophs are organisms that make their own food through the process of photosynthesis (or chemosynthesis-chemicals). These plant-like protist produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. We will learn more about this process within the next few weeks.Other protists are heterotrophs, like us! These animal-like protists must take in food from external sources to survive. Mostly, they eat bacteria and other protist!Fungus-like protists are heterotrophs that digest their food, or break it down, outside their bodies. Some of these protist are decomposers. They break down the remains of dead plants and animals. Other fungus-like protists are parasites. A parasite is an organism that obtains nutrients from another organism (the host) and harms the host.Some protists have some characteristics of autotrophs and some characteristics of heterotroph. Confusing, huh?! This is why protists are so hard to classify.Copy this chart into your science notebook:Protists Classifcation:ClassificationExplanationAnimal-like protistsCatch and take in other organisms for food (heterotrophs)Plant-like protistsProduce their own food (autotrophs)Fungus-like protistsDigest food externally, outside their bodies (heterotrophs) Comparing Contrasting Protists! Make a table as shown to record the information about each type of protist.Protists are classified based on locomotion (how they move) and nutrition (how they obtain energy). Some protists, such as members of the genus Euglena, move using flagella. Flagella are long, whip-like tails that help the protist move and can also catch food. In this wayEuglena are heterotrophslike animals. They can also be autotrophs, these protists have chloroplasts and can use photosynthesisto create their own food.Theredeyespotnear the base of the flagellaallows them to detect light.Other protists, such as paramecia, have cilia. Cilia are short, hairlike structures on the surface of the cell.They beat like tiny oars, helping the protistmove and sweeps food into a protist's oral groove(mouth-like structure).Protists live in aquatic environments and must maintain water balance. The contractile vacuole is an organelle that pumps water in and out of the cell so protists do not dry up or burst.Other protists move and capture food using a structure called a pseudopod. A pseudopod is a finger-like projection that sticks out from the cell. It is sometimes called a false foot because a protist can use it like a food to propel itself forward. A pseudopod surrounds food and brings it into the cell. It pulls the rest of the protist along as it moves. An amoeba is a protist that uses a pseudopod to move and to obtain food.Paramecium, Euglena, and Amoeba are all unicellular protists that live separately from others of their type. Volvox is a unicellular protist that is often called multi-cellular due to their colonial lifestyle. Each individual has chloroplasts and two flagella they use for locomotion. They are autotrophs and create energy through photosynthesis. Classifying Protists Use the word bank to fill in the tags for each protists pictured.heterotrophic (use 2x) autotrophic (use 2x) heterotrophicautotrohpicflagella (use 2x) colonies contractile vacuolechloroplast (use 2x) cilia individuals cilia contractile vacuole eyespot chloroplasts flagella colony individuals psuedopods heterotrophic heterotrophic autotrophic heterotrophic & autotrophic flagella How are pseudopods similar to flagella? Both are long, whip-like structures. Both are used to engulf food particles. Both are reproductive parts of protists. Both are used by protists for movement. Which term describes autotrophic protists? plant-like symbiotic fungus-like saprophytic Which describes how Euglena and Volvox are similar? These protists use cilia for movement and are heterotrophs. They have flagella for movement and are autotrophs. They have eyespots and are heterotrophs. They have cilia for movement and are autotrophs. Which structure do all protists have to help maintain water balance and thus homeostasis? chloroplasts contractile vacuole oral groove eye spot Describe how Euglena, Paramecium, and Amoeba are similar? Explain why a protist would be classified as animal like. Explain why protists may be classified as Prokaryotes. Then compare them to Eukaryotes and provide evidence for their current classification in Domain Eukarya.