Plant-like ProtistsMr. Chapman

Biology 20

DiatomsUnique Plant-like Protists With

Various Structures

DiatomsMore Pictures of Diatoms

Also see page 583 of textbook

• Many plant-like protists are free living aquatic organisms. Together with certain photosynthetic bacteria, they make up the group called phytoplankton.

• Phytoplankton are the basis of the aquatic food chain, and are necessary for ecological stability in the ocean.

• Some plant-like protists are unicellular and some are multicellular, such as seaweeds.

Some Plant-Like Protist Details

Other plant-like protists live in colonies – they exist as unicellular organisms, but always travel together in groups.

Algae are plant-like protists.

Remember that our example from previous classes of plant-like protists were euglena. That is the only plant-like protist you will be expected to remember structurally.

Plant-like Protists Continued...

Haploid Cells (1n)

• Haploid cells contain half the chromosomes of a complete cell. Also called gametes.

• Examples include sperm and eggs in humans.

Diploid Cells (2n)

• Diploid cells contain a full set of

chromosomes.

• All the other cells in the human body besides sperm and

egg are diploid.

Important Forms of Cells

Plant-Like Protists Reproduce Sexually and Asexually