Animal Diversity Part 1A

Naegari Foweri

Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (Fatality rate >97%, 4/164 infected in United States have survived)

Protists

Mostly unicellular eukaryotes, paraphyletic group, they no longer valid as a kingdom

Eukaryotes

Most are single-celled organisms, are understudied. They have a membrane-bound nucleus, other membrane-bound organelles, have a cytoskeleton that allow shape changing

Endosymbiosis

Process in with a unicellular organisms engulf other cells

Autotroph

Create their own food

Heterotroph

Do not make their own food, they have to find their food.

Mixotroph

Make their own food AND go find food

Roles that Protists play

Have diverse aquatic environments (photosynthesis protists and prokaryotes are main producers), Often play the role of symbiont or producer.

Wastewater treatment

Good protozoans play a role. Aerobic ciliates in sludge consume suspended bacteria and algae, less turbid

Oil spills

Good protozoans play a role fedd on oil-degrading bacteria- leads to faster clean ups

Recycling

Good protozoans consume >50% of phytoplankton produced in marine waters. Excrete N and P

Toxoplasmosis

researchers used blood samples from ~750 people to look for antibodies to many diseases

T. gondii

Emerges as an infection more common in people who had cancer