Protists:

Introduction to Protists and Classification:

1. What are Protists, and why is their classification considered to be in flux?

2. How many different single-celled life forms are encompassed within the Protist group?

3. Why is Kingdom Protists considered an artificial grouping?

4. What distinguishes most Protists from higher eukaryotes in terms of tissue organization?

Subgroups of Protists:

5. Define Protozoology and Phycology. What do these fields of study focus on?

6. What are the main characteristics of protozoa, and how do they differ from algae?

7. Give an example of a photosynthetic protist (algae) and describe its role in ecosystems.

Distribution of Protists:

8. Where do Protists grow, and what types of habitats do they inhabit?

9. What roles do chemoorganotrophic Protists play in nitrogen and phosphorus cycling?

10. Differentiate between free-living and parasitic Protists, and provide examples of each.

Nutrition in Protists:

11. Explain the term "photoautotrophic" as it relates to Protists.

12. How do chemoheterotrophic Protists acquire solid nutrients like bacteria?

13. Describe the mechanisms by which saprozoic Protists obtain soluble nutrients.

14. What is osmotrophy, and why is it important in Protist nutrition?

15. What does it mean for a Protist to be mixotrophic?

Protist Morphology:

16. Compare the structure of the plasma membrane in Protists to that of multicellular
plants/animals.

17. Describe the division of cytoplasm in Protists and the functions of ectoplasm and endoplasm.

18. What is the role of the pellicle structure in Protists?

19. Explain the functions of vacuoles in Protist cells.

20. How do Protists produce energy, and what organelles are involved in this process?

21. Discuss the significance of cilia and flagella in Protist motility and feeding.

Encystment and Excystment:

22. What is encystment, and why do Protists undergo this process?

23. How can encystment serve as a means of host-to-host transfer for parasitic species?
 24. Describe excystment and the conditions that stimulate it in Protists.

Reproduction in Protists:

25. What are the two main modes of reproduction in Protists?

26. Explain binary fission and provide an example of Protists that reproduce this way.

27. What is conjugation, and how does it differ from binary fission in Protists?

28. Define autogamy and explain when it occurs in Protists.

29. How do Protists exchange gametes in sexual reproduction, and why is this process essential?

30. Give an example of a Protist that exhibits sexual reproduction and describe its life cycle.