What are prokaryotes?
Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; includes bacteria and archaea.
Difference between Bacteria and Archaea?
Bacteria are widespread and include many pathogens while Archaea often live in extreme environments and have unique membrane chemistry.
What is an extremophile?
An organism that lives in extreme environmental conditions such as high heat salinity or acidity.
What are extreme halophiles?
Organisms that live in very salty environments like salt lakes.
What are extreme thermophiles?
Organisms that thrive in very hot environments around 60 to 80 degrees Celsius or higher.
What is an endospore?
A thick coated resistant structure formed by some bacteria to survive harsh conditions.
Gram positive vs Gram negative bacteria?
Gram positive bacteria have thick peptidoglycan cell walls while Gram negative bacteria have thinner walls and an outer membrane.
What is anaerobic respiration?
Respiration that uses molecules other than oxygen as the final electron acceptor.
What is bioremediation?
Using organisms to clean pollutants from the environment.
Exotoxins vs endotoxins?
Exotoxins are secreted toxic proteins while endotoxins are toxic components released when Gram negative bacteria die.
What are protists?
Mostly single celled eukaryotes that are not plants animals or fungi.
Why are protists considered diverse?
They include many unrelated groups with different structures and lifestyles.
Three broad groups of protists?
Excavates SAR clade and Archaeplastida.
What are algae?
Photosynthetic protists that produce oxygen and form the base of aquatic food webs.
What is plankton?
Small organisms that drift in aquatic environments.
What are diatoms?
Photosynthetic protists with glass like silica cell walls.
What are dinoflagellates?
Protists with two flagella some of which cause harmful algal blooms.
What are brown algae?
Large multicellular algae such as kelp.
What are red algae?
Photosynthetic algae with pigments allowing them to live deeper in water.
Role of protists in ecosystems?
Major producers in aquatic ecosystems and key parts of food chains.
What are land plants also called?
Embryophytes.
Key adaptations for plants living on land?
Cuticle stomata and protected embryos.
What is alternation of generations?
A life cycle alternating between haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte stages.
What are bryophytes?
Nonvascular plants including mosses liverworts and hornworts.
