Question 1

Which of the following statements best explains why protists are no longer classified as a single kingdom?

Accepted Answer

Some protists are more closely related to plants, fungi, or animals than to other protists.

Question 2

Which feature is unique to euglenozoans and helps distinguish them from other protists?

Accepted Answer

Presence of a spiral or crystalline rod inside their flagella

Question 3

What is the main evidence supporting the endosymbiotic origin of mitochondria and plastids?

Accepted Answer

They contain their own DNA and have double membranes similar to bacteria.

Question 4

Which process is illustrated when a heterotrophic eukaryote engulfs a photosynthetic cyanobacterium, leading to the origin of plastids?

Accepted Answer

Primary endosymbiosis

Question 5

In the life cycle of brown algae such as Laminaria, which term describes the multicellular diploid stage that produces spores?

Accepted Answer

Sporophyte

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the nutritional diversity found among protists?

Accepted Answer

Protists can be photoautotrophs, heterotrophs, or mixotrophs.

Question 7

A scientist discovers a unicellular organism with two equal-sized nuclei, multiple flagella, and no plastids, living in an anaerobic environment. To which group does this organism most likely belong?

Accepted Answer

Diplomonads

Question 8

Which of the following is a real-world consequence of diatom blooms in the ocean?

Accepted Answer

Dead diatoms sink, storing carbon on the ocean floor for centuries.

Question 9

Which structure is found in chlorarachniophytes as a remnant of secondary endosymbiosis?

Accepted Answer

Nucleomorph

Question 10

A patient is diagnosed with malaria. Which of the following statements about the causative agent is correct?

Accepted Answer

It is an apicomplexan that requires both mosquitoes and humans to complete its life cycle.

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why brown algae are not considered true plants?

Accepted Answer

They lack true tissues and organs.

Question 12

Which group of protists is characterized by threadlike pseudopodia and includes forams and radiolarians?

Accepted Answer

Rhizarians

Question 13

What is the ecological significance of photosynthetic protists in aquatic environments?

Accepted Answer

They are the main producers, converting $$CO_2 to $$organic compounds.

Question 14

Which of the following is a distinguishing feature of ciliates?

Accepted Answer

Presence of two types of nuclei: micronuclei and macronuclei

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the evolutionary relationship between red algae, green algae, and plants?

Accepted Answer

Plants are descended from green algae, and all three are in the Archaeplastida supergroup.

Question 16

Which of the following is a real-world example of a symbiotic relationship involving protists?

Accepted Answer

Dinoflagellates living within coral polyps and nourishing them

Question 17

Which of the following statements about the alternation of generations in protists is correct?

Accepted Answer

Both haploid and diploid stages can be multicellular.

Question 18

Which of the following is a consequence of increasing sea surface temperature on photosynthetic protists?

Accepted Answer

Decline in growth and biomass of phytoplankton communities

Question 19

Which of the following is true about the cell walls of oomycetes compared to fungi?

Accepted Answer

Oomycete cell walls are made of cellulose, while fungal cell walls are made of chitin.

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why some Dictyostelium cells do not 'cheat' during fruiting body formation?

Accepted Answer

Cheating cells are recognized and excluded by noncheaters due to a specific surface protein.

Protist Diversity and Evolution: Structure, Function, and Ecological Roles

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