2. Slime Molds Resemble fungi in appearance and lifestyle, but are not at all closely related. Its filamentous body increases exposure to the environment and facilitates their role as decomposers. Ex: In leaf litter and other decaying material on a forest floor.

3. Unicellular Algae Photosynthetic protists – have chloroplasts Support food chains in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Are components of plankton - the communities of organisms, mostly microscopic, that drift or swim weakly near the surfaces of ponds, lakes, and oceans. Planktonic algae = phytoplankton Three groups : A. Dinoflagellates – Whirling – beating of 2 flagella. Blooms cause red tide; toxins cause massive fish kills, and are poisonous to humans. B. Diatoms – glassy cell walls with silica, used to make glass. Make diatomaceous earth, used for filtering material and an abrasive. C. Green algae – (see next slide) Dinoflagellates Diatoms

C. Green Algae Named for their grass-green chloroplasts Flourish in most freshwater lakes and ponds Some species are flagellated. Of all photosynthetic protists, green algae are the most closely related to true plants. Volvox is a colony of flagellated cells (the smallest green dots.) Daughter colonies (the balls within the balls) can form within parent colonies - are released when parent colonies rupture. Volvox

4. Seaweeds Large, multicellular marine algae Grow on rocky shores & just offshore Have slimy rubbery substances that cushion bodies against waves Types based on pigments: green algae, red algae, brown algae Harvested for food: soups, wrap sushi. Rich in iodine, but have some polysaccharides humans cannot digest Used for thickeners in pudding, ice cream, salad dressing. Used for Gel agar in Petri dishes! Brown Algae