Chapter 30 Lecture Enrichment Ideas
"Algae" and "protozoa" are solid examples of how common terms that appear to group similar organisms do not match up with our understanding of their actual phylogeny. Nevertheless, it remains useful as a general term in absence of other common terms referring to one-celled eukaryotes.
Films and slides are useful to show students what protists look like and how they move and reproduce, where actual culture specimens are not available.
Since many of the parasitic forms of kingdom Protista are tropical and subtropical, Americans are often unfamiliar with the ravages of malaria, dysentery, etc. Excerpts from Robert Desowitz's Malaria Capers or other similar descriptions can "bring home" the seriousness of such major diseases.
Keep students aware that all the organisms placed in the kingdom Protista are not really closely related to each other. Would it be more reasonable to separate them into different kingdoms? Some have suggested that it would be more "reasonable" to have as many as nineteen kingdoms.
Emphasize the importance of the algae as the base of the food chain in both freshwater and marine environments.
Point out that lichens can be made up of fungi and either green algae or cyanobacteria, and examine how they could be symbiotic or how the fungus could be parasitic on the alga or the bacterium. What experiments would distinguish this?
Describe industrial and commercial uses of protists (mainly algae).
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