Protists

This set of flashcards provides key vocabulary and definitions related to the study of protists, their diversity, and ecological significance.

Protists

A diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that are primarily unicellular, though some are multicellular or colonial.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and the relationship among a group of organisms.

Multicellularity

The condition of being composed of multiple cells that work together as a single organism.

Convergent Evolution

The process by which different species evolve similar traits independently, often due to similar environmental pressures.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

The movement of genetic material between organisms other than through direct inheritance from parent to offspring.

Endosymbiosis

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives inside the cells of another and has evolved into organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts.

Autotrophic

Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Heterotrophic

Organisms that obtain their food by consuming other organisms.

Diatoms

Unicellular algae with silica cell walls, which conduct photosynthesis and play a significant role in carbon cycling.

Dinoflagellates

A group of protists known for their unique two-flagella structure and ecological role in coral reefs as symbionts.

Slime molds

A group of protists that can exist in a unicellular form but can also form multicellular structures during certain life stages.

Sporangium

A structure in fungi and slime molds that produces and contains spores.

Zooxanthellae

The dinoflagellates that live in symbiosis with coral, providing them with photosynthetic nutrients.

Malaria

A disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is a type of protist.

Carbon Sequestration

The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate climate change.