Mr. Chapman Biology 20

Unique Plant-like Protists With Various Structures

More 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.

 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.

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.