Are There Protists in My Pond?

Are there Protists in my Pond?

Introduction:

Unicellular organisms in the Kingdom Protista may either be plant-like (algae) or animal-like (protozoa). These one celled organisms have specific adaptations to allow them to move, respond to stimuli, and maintain osmotic balance with their environments. In this activity, you will first observe some common Protists and their adaptations using Internet resources, and then observe a sample of pond water to identify the Protists that are present.

Part I

Go to YouTube and search for each of the following videos. As you observe the videos, complete the data chart on Protist adaptations.

a.  “Paramecium vacuole” by microscopeitaly

b.  “Amoeba eats two paramecia” by vijayantv

c.  “Euglena” by CSMDTube

Function / Adaptation / Organism / Description/Explanation
Movement / Cilia
Pseudopodia
Flagella
Response to stimuli / Eyespot
Osmotic balance / Contractile vacuole