Unit 2 – Monera, protoctista and fungi.

1 – Kingdom Monera.
Kingdom Monera: unicellular prokaryotes bacteria.

There are different types:

- cocci: spherical (sphere)

- bacilli: long

- vibrios: curved

- spirochaetes: spiral

Vital functions of bacteria:

- Nutrition: can be autotrophic, or heterotrophic (divided in saprophytic, symbiotic, and

parasitic).
- Interaction: some bacteria move while others don’t.
- Reproduction: asexual.

Helpful bacteria: those in the intestinal flora, decomposers which process waste, and photosynthetic
bacteria that oxygenate water and the atmosphere.

Harmful bacteria: parasitic; bacteria can cause illnesses or contaminate food.

How bacteria reproduce:

1 The bacterium grows and makes a copy of its DNA.

2 The bacterium narrows in the middle and divides.

3 The daughter cells are formed.

2 – Kingdom Protoctista. Protozoa.

Kingdom Protoctista: eukaryotic unicellular and multicellular organisms, such as protozoa and algae.

Protozoa: unicellular, eukaryotic organisms which live in water.

They move using:

- Flagella (“flagellum” in singular, from flagellates).

- Pseudopodia (from amoebas).
- Cilia (from ciliates).
- Other can’t move.
Vital functions of protozoa:

- Nutrition: heterotrophic (remains of the environment, microorganisms, and others are

parasites).
- Interaction: they move using different mechanisms (flagella, pseudopodia, and cilia).
- Reproduction: cellular division.

Helpful protozoa: some purify water because they feed on the decomposers, and others are a
component of plankton, which provide food to aquatic organisms.

Harmful protozoa: some are parasitic and cause illnesses such as malaria or amoebiasis.

3 – Kingdom Protoctista. Algae.

Kingdom protoctista: eukaryotic unicellular or multicellular organisms, with chloroplasts and cell
walls.

Types of algae according to their pigments:

- Unicellular algae (euglena)

- Green algae: they contain chlorophyll.
- Red algae: they have a red pigment which hides chlorophyll.
- Brown algae: they have a brown pigment that hides chlorophyll.

The vital functions of algae:

- Nutrition: autotrophic through photosynthesis.

- Interaction: the majority are aquatic, but others live in rocks, plants, animals…
- Reproduction: asexual by cell division, by fragmentation, or by generating spores. Some
others reproduce sexually through gametes.

Helpful algae: Though photosynthesis they produce oxygen and use carbon dioxide. They are a food
source for protozoa and other organisms, including humans and other animals.

Harmful algae: some produce red tides when they accumulate. They produce toxins that affect
marine flora and fauna and can reach humans.
4 – Kingdom Fungi.
Kingdom Fungi: eukaryotic unicellular and multicellular organisms with cell walls but without
chloroplasts. Their body is the mycelium, formed by hyphae.

Types of fungi:

- Yeasts: unicellular fungi.

- Moulds: multicellular fungi that grow on foods.
- Mushroom-producing fungi: multicellular fungi that grow in woods (button mushrooms, milk
caps, king oyster).

Vital functions:

- Nutrition: heterotrophic, may be:

- - saprophytic fungi get remains of other living things.
- - symbiotic fungi form associations with other living things, such as lichens, formed by
unicellular alga and fungus.
- - parasites live off other organisms.
- Interaction: Fungi are attached to the ground, but can live on fruit and plants.
- Reproduction: fungi reproduce through spores. The reproductive structure is called
mushroom.

Helpful fungi: saprophytic fungi decompose organic matter to form humus, which provides nutrients
to plants.

Harmful fungi: parasitic fungi cause diseases in people. Other infect plants and damage crops.