Table of contents

1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
2. Chemistry3h 37m
3. Water1h 26m
4. Biomolecules2h 23m
5. Cell Components2h 26m
6. The Membrane2h 31m
7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
8. Respiration2h 40m
9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
10. Cell Signaling59m
11. Cell Division2h 47m
12. Meiosis2h 0m
13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
15. Gene Expression3h 6m
16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
17. Viruses37m
- Viruses
  37m
18. Biotechnology2h 58m
19. Genomics17m
- Genomes
  17m
20. Development1h 5m
21. Evolution3h 1m
22. Evolution of Populations3h 53m
23. Speciation1h 37m
24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
25. Phylogeny2h 31m
26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
27. Protists1h 12m
28. Plants1h 22m
29. Fungi36m
- Fungi
  19m
- Fungi Reproduction
  17m
30. Overview of Animals34m
- Overview of Animals
  34m
31. Invertebrates1h 2m
32. Vertebrates50m
33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- Water Potential
  1h 2m
35. Soil37m
- Soil and Nutrients
  20m
- Nitrogen Fixation
  16m
36. Plant Reproduction47m
- Flowers
  33m
- Seeds
  14m
37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
39. Digestive System1h 10m
- Digestion
  1h 3m
- Blood Sugar Homeostasis
  7m
40. Circulatory System1h 49m
41. Immune System1h 12m
42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- Osmoregulation and Excretion
  50m
43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- Endocrine System
  1h 4m
44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- Animal Reproduction
  1h 2m
45. Nervous System1h 55m
- Neurons and Action Potentials
  1h 8m
- Central and Peripheral Nervous System
  46m
46. Sensory Systems46m
- Sensory System
  46m
47. Muscle Systems23m
- Musculoskeletal System
  23m
48. Ecology3h 11m
49. Animal Behavior28m
- Animal Behavior
  28m
50. Population Ecology3h 41m
51. Community Ecology2h 46m
52. Ecosystems2h 36m
53. Conservation Biology24m
- Conservation Biology
  24m

27. Protists

Eukaryotic Supergroups: Exploring Protist Diversity

General Biology

27. Protists

Eukaryotic Supergroups: Exploring Protist Diversity

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1:49 minutes

Problem 8

Textbook Question

The text claims that the evolutionary history of protists can be understood as a series of morphological innovations that established seven distinct lineages, each of which subsequently diversified based on innovative ways of feeding, moving, and reproducing. Explain how the Alveolata support this claim.

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the question. The question is asking you to explain how the Alveolata, a group of protists, supports the claim that the evolutionary history of protists can be understood as a series of morphological innovations that established distinct lineages, each of which subsequently diversified based on innovative ways of feeding, moving, and reproducing.

Step 2: Research the Alveolata. Alveolata is a major group of protists which includes organisms like dinoflagellates, apicomplexans, and ciliates. They are characterized by the presence of alveoli, or small vesicles, beneath their cell membranes. These alveoli are thought to provide support to the cell surface.

Step 3: Identify the morphological innovations in Alveolata. The presence of alveoli is a morphological innovation that distinguishes Alveolata from other protists. Additionally, different groups within the Alveolata have other unique features. For example, dinoflagellates have two flagella for movement, apicomplexans have a unique organelle called an apicoplast, and ciliates have cilia for movement.

Step 4: Explain how these innovations led to diversification. The unique features of each group within the Alveolata allowed them to adapt to different environments and lifestyles. For example, the flagella of dinoflagellates allow them to move in water, the apicoplast of apicomplexans is thought to be involved in processes like lipid synthesis, and the cilia of ciliates allow them to move and feed.

Step 5: Summarize your findings. The Alveolata support the claim that the evolutionary history of protists can be understood as a series of morphological innovations that established distinct lineages, each of which subsequently diversified based on innovative ways of feeding, moving, and reproducing. The presence of alveoli and other unique features in different groups within the Alveolata allowed them to adapt to different environments and lifestyles, leading to their diversification.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Morphological Innovations

Morphological innovations refer to significant changes in the structure and form of organisms that can lead to the emergence of new traits or lineages. In the context of protists, these innovations may include adaptations in cell structure, such as the development of specialized organelles or unique shapes, which enable them to exploit different ecological niches and enhance survival.

Alveolata

Alveolata is a major group of protists characterized by the presence of alveoli, which are membrane-bound sacs located beneath the plasma membrane. This group includes diverse organisms such as ciliates, dinoflagellates, and apicomplexans, each exhibiting unique feeding, movement, and reproductive strategies that illustrate the evolutionary adaptations stemming from their morphological innovations.

Diversity in Feeding, Movement, and Reproduction

The diversity in feeding, movement, and reproduction among protists, particularly within the Alveolata, highlights how morphological innovations can lead to varied ecological strategies. For instance, dinoflagellates possess unique flagella for movement and can photosynthesize, while apicomplexans have evolved complex life cycles for reproduction, showcasing how these adaptations contribute to their evolutionary success and ecological roles.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

Which of the following members of the SAR supergroup is incorrectly paired with its clade?

a. Stramenopiles—brown algae

b. Alveolates—parasites such as Plasmodium

c. Alveolates—dinoflagellates

d. Rhizaria—diatoms

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Textbook Question

Based on the phylogenetic tree in Figure 28.2, which of the following statements is correct?

a. The most recent common ancestor of Excavata is older than that of SAR.

b. The most recent common ancestor of SAR is older than that of Unikonta.

c. The most basal (first to diverge) eukaryotic supergroup cannot be determined.

d. Excavata is the most basal eukaryotic supergroup.

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Textbook Question

In step 3 of the citric acid cycle, the enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase is regulated by NADH. Compare and contrast the regulation of this enzyme with the regulation of phosphofructokinase in glycolysis.

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Textbook Question

Apply what you know of the relationship between the light-capturing reactions and the Calvin cycle to calculate the number of photons used to produce a new G3P and regenerate RuBP. (Assume 1 ATP is produced for each pair of electrons used to form NADPH.)

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Textbook Question

Which of the following correctly identify a role of the ATP produced in the light-capturing reactions? Select True or False for each statement.

T/F It is used by rubisco to fix CO₂ to RuBP.

T/F It serves the same role as ATP produced by mitochondria.

T/F It is used to regenerate RuBP from G3P molecules.

T/F It is used to produce G3P molecules

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Textbook Question

Draw a chemical equation to represent the redox reaction that occurs when methane (CH₄) burns in the presence of oxygen (O₂). Identify the reactant that is reduced and the reactant that is oxidized. Of the four molecules that should be in your equation, point out the one that has bonds with the highest potential energy.

Predict how the following conditions would affect the production of O₂, ATP, and NADPH and state whether noncyclic or cyclic electron flow would occur in each:

(2) blue and red photons hit a chloroplast, but no NADP⁺ is available

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Textbook Question

Consider the following:

Plasmodium has an unusual organelle called an apicoplast. Recent research has shown that apicoplasts are derived from chloroplasts via secondary endosymbiosis and have a large number of genes related to chloroplast DNA.

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides. It works by poisoning an enzyme located in chloroplasts.

Biologists are testing the hypothesis that glyphosate could be used as an antimalarial drug in humans.

How are these observations connected?

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