Transcript Kingdom Protista - Net Start Class

Anthony Phillip and Linda Eilers
KINGDOM PROTISTA
Introduction
 A. Relatively simple organism
 B. Most unicellular – some multicellular
 C. Huge and diverse group
 D. Planktonic protists and algae are the most
abundant protists in the ocean
Planktonic Protists
 A. Unicellular holoplankton
 B. 2 main forms
 1. phytoplankton – plants or photosynthetic
 2. zooplankton – non-photosynthetic
 C. Value of phytoplankton
 1. base of the food chain (must live in the upper
layers of the ocean)
 2. produce 70% of the world’s oxygen
 D. Two major groups of phytoplankton
 1. Diatoms (division Chrysophyta)
 a. most abundant organisms on Earth (over 12 million in
one cubic foot of water)
 b. structure – unicellular overlapping silicon shells
 c. reproduction – asexual by splitting until each half gets
too small then sexual
 d. important in the food chain for energy and oxygen
production
 e. deposits of silicon form diatomaceous earth which is
used for pool filters and sort scrubs and toothpaste.
 2. Dinoflagellates (Division Pyrrophyta)
 a. unicellular with cellulose cell wall
 b. two flagella in grooves ---> spinning locomotion
 c. important as photosynthesizers (food chain,
oxygen)
 d. many are bioluminescent (no known purpose
for this)
 e. Red Tide – bloom of dinoflagellates (possibly
due to pollution) Kills fish
 1. overproduction 3 million in one quart of water
 f. may cause PSP Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning-
toxin build up in shell fish but are not harmful to
the shell fish but if humans eat it, it can be fatal.
Red Tide or Karenia BrevisKarenia Brevis, as seen under an Electron MicroscopeThe
algae that exist in our waters are important to our marine environment and the
majority of algae species are not harmful. Yet, under the right conditions, the one
called Karenia Brevis can grow rapidly. When the conditions are right, this algae can
explode in number and this is called a "bloom". These blooms can be so large that it
can make the gulf waters appear red or brown, so it is referred to as RED TIDE.

When a huge bloom occurs, Red Tide can produce a sort of gas that is dispersed in the
air. This gas is called a "brevetoxin" and is responsible for killing fish and other marine
organisms that come in contact with it. Florida is not alone when it comes to Red
Tide, because red tide blooms occur all over the world. It seems like Florida's blooms
are highlighted in the news more often than other areas that experience this
phenomenon. The other areas, around the world, that have experienced Red Tide are
Scandinavia, Japan, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. According to Mote Marine
Laboratory, the first scientific documentation of Red Tide was back in the fall of 1947,
when residents of Venice, Florida witnessed thousands of dead fish and a reported
that a "stinging gas" was in the air and history also shows that Floridians reported
events like this as far back as the mid-1800s. We now know that Red Tide blooms
move like jellyfish...its movement is impacted by wind and tides. This makes
predicting the appearance and severity of red tide almost impossible.
 Risks Associated With Exposure To Red Tide
 From what we can see, people who swim in Red Tide or
breathe in the brevetoxins can experience eye, nose, and
throat irritation, as well as coughing, wheezing, and
shortness of breath. It is believed that people who suffer
from respiratory illnesses, like asthma or emphysema, can
have more severe reactions. In addition to killing fish,
shellfish are also impacted due to the fact that brevetoxins
can become concentrated in their tissues. People who eat
these shellfish may come down with a neurotoxic shellfish
poisoning that causes severe gastrointestinal and
neurologic symptoms, such as tingling fingers or toes.
 http://www.mymanatee.org/home/government/depar
tments/public-safety/marine-rescue/beaches/redtide.html
 E. Zooplankton
 1. second level in food chain – fee on
phytoplankton
 2. feed at night – drop down in day; can create the
effect of a false bottom on echo sounding chart;
this is called a deep scattering layer (DSL)
 3. Examples of Zooplankton in phylum
Sarcodina
 a. Foraminifera
 1. coiled tests of CaCo3
 2. this fossil is valuable in oil searches; shell coils
to the right in warm water and to the left in cold
water
 b. Radiolarians
 1. spherical tests with long spines
 2. spines help them float and impale food
 3. tests contribute to seafloor ooze
Multicellular Algae
 A. General Characteristics
 1. complex – not true plants
 2. structure
 a. bladder – hollow; gives plant buoyancy; allowing
it to float
 b. holdfast – attaches seaweed to sea bottom or
other substrates
 c. stipe – shock absorber between wave tossed open
parts of the seaweed
 d. blade – leafy structure of seaweed
(photosynthetic)
 3. classified by pigments
 4. different pigment allows light absorption at
various depths (main limiting factor)
 a. green algae – uses red light; grows the shallowest
 b. brown algae – deeper due to accessory pigment
 c. red algae – uses blue light – grows the deepest
 B. Green Algae (Division Chlorophyta)
 1. limited to upper regions
 2. mostly attched
 Example – Ulva – sea lettuce
 C. Brown Algae (Division Phaeophyta)
 1. diverse, mainly marine group
 2. Kelp
 a. nearshore – hang on with holdfast
 b. fast growing – up to 60 m in length may grow
many centimeters a day
 c. blade is photosynthetic – held up by gas bladder
 d. reproduction – organs at tips of blades produce
gametes  zygote
 e. maricultured for food, fertilizer, vitamins, algin
(food thickener, emulsifier used in jelly and candy)
 f. kelp forest ecosystem – home for fish, etc.
 g. surge in urchin population due to a decrease in
otters numbers (over hunted) endangered kelp
forest
 3. Sargassum
 a. floating
 b. called gulfweed – abundant in the Gulf of Mexico
 c. gas bladders – “berries”
 d. Sargasso Sea – floating ecosystem with
organisms camouflaged as seaweed
 D. Red Algae (Division Rhodophyta)
 1. grow deepest – uses blue light
 2. coralline algae – covered in CaCo3
 3. Uses – food and source of agar (food thickener and
growth medium for bacteria)
Kingdom Plantae
 I. Introduction
 A. photosynthetic, complex organisms
 B. Few in ocean due to osmotic potential
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(dehydration)
C. Must have the ability to desalinate water
D. Nearshore growth for photosynthesis
E. Capture sediment – help stabilize shoreline
F. producers in food chain
G. shelter for organisms
Includes grasses and trees
 II. Marine grasses
 A. Examples – marsh (spartina), eel, turtle, surf
 B. basis of salt marsh and grass flat ecosystems
 C. Secrete salt at base
 III. Mangrove trees
 A. only trees in salt water
 B. grow in muddy habitats
 C. Special roots
 1. prop roots – hold up trees
 2. pneumatophores – breathing roots (mud has little
oxygen available)
 D. Can desalinate water – secrete salt on leaves
 E. Reproduction – seeds may germinate on the
tree; buoyant seed coat let seedling bob along
until it roots (prevents burial)
 IV. Other plants (associated with the
shoreline)
 A. sand dune plant (decrease erosion of dunes) –
railroad vine sea oats
 B. some use currents to disperse seeds and
expand range – example coconut palm