PROTISTS and FUNGI
I. Kingdom Protista – very diverse; any eukaryote that is NOT plant, animal, fungi or bacteria
A. General Characteristics
1. Most are – unicellular, few are --multicellular
2. All are – eukaryotes
3. Protists are classified by how they obtain nutrition:
a. animal-like –heterotrophs
b. plant-like – autotrophs
c. fungus-like –decomposers
B. Animal-like protists –some are free-living, some are parasitic (cause Malaria, African sleeping sickness)
Examples:
1. Paramecium
a. heterotrophic
b. pumps out water, maintaining water balance in a cell – contractile vacuole (imp. for homeostasis)
c. method of movement – cilia
2. Amoeba
a. false foot – pseudopod
b. method of movement –cytoplasmic streaming
C. Plant-like protists – Example:
1. Euglena
a. presence of chloroplast – producer, autotroph
b. method of movement – flagellum, whip like tail
c. eyespot –light sensitive – moves organism toward light for photosynthesis
2. unicellular algae-- provides a source of nourishment for other organisms
3. red, brown and green algae –multicellular
D. Importance
1. Beneficial
a. outer covering of some protists form– hard silica shell = diatoms
used in toothpaste and scouring powder
b. plankton --food source for other organisms
c. algae – used to make thickener for foods
2. Harmful
a. some protists produce a red pigment, too many protists cause – red tide (harmful to fish)
b. mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by protists – Malaria
c. algal bloom- enormous mass of algae – covers ponds, uses up O2 and kills fish
d. Naegleria fowleri – killer amoeba
II. Kingdom Fungi
A. General Characteristics
1. Few are unicellular but most are –multicellular
2. They all have cell walls –made of chitin (not cellulose like plants)
3. They are plant-like - can’t move aboutBUT they cannot make their own food – no chloroplasts, not green
4. All are –heterotrophs
5. They are either:
a. parasites – obtain food from living organisms
b.saprophytes – obtain food from dead organisms
6. Obtain nutrition by – releasing digestive enzymes on organic material and absorbing nutrients
B. Examples
1. Bread molds -
2. Mushrooms –
3. Yeast – unicellular
4. Ringworm and athletes foot (parasites)
5. Symbiotic relationships:
Lichens – symbiotic relationship between – fungus and algae
Fungus provides moisture, algae provides food– mutualism – both benefit
Mycorrhizae – symbiotic relationship between –fungus and plant roots
Fungus helps roots absorb moisture and nutrients, roots provide fungus with products of photosynthesis
C. Importance
1. Beneficial
a. food – mushrooms, yeast, cheeses
b. medicines -- penicillin
c. decomposers – recycle nutrients back into soil for plants
2. Harmful
a. plant diseases – smuts, rusts, mildew
b. human diseases – ringworm, athlete’s foot
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