Introduction

Chapter 1. Chapter 19: Eukaryotic Diversity

Interactive Study Guide
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Welcome to the Interactive Study Guide for Chapter 19: Eukaryotic Diversity! This Study Guide will help you master your understanding of the chapter's Driving Questions, using interactive Infographics and activities, as well as targeted assessment questions. Click "Next" to get started, or select a Driving Question from the drop-down menu to the right.

Rain Forest Riches:

Restoring eukaryotic diversity in Olympia National Park

DRIVING QUESTIONS

  • What are eukaryotic organisms and what factors influence their diversity?
  • How are plants defined and what influences their diversity?
  • How are animals defined and what influences their diversity?
  • How are fungi defined and what influences their diversity?
  • What are protists and what influences their diversity?

Driving Question 1

What are eukaryotic organisms and what factors influence their diversity?

Why should you care?

You are a eukaryote. Understanding how eukaryotes work will help you understand how you work. Understanding how the kingdoms within the domain Eukarya are related will help you understand how humans and all life on Earth fit into the history of evolution.

What should you know?

To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to:

  1. Recognize the major kingdoms of Eukarya.
  2. Develop a hypothesis as to what influences eukaryotic diversity.

Infographic Focus

The infographics most pertinent to the Driving Question are 19.1 and 19.2.

Test Your Vocabulary

Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:

Term Definition
A multicellular eukaryote that has cell walls, carries out photosynthesis, and is adapted to living on land.
A eukaryote that cannot be classified as a plant, animal, or fungus; usually unicellular.
Any organism of the domain Eukarya; eukaryotic cells are characterized by a membrane-enclosed nucleus and organelles.
A unicellular or multicellular eukaryotic organism that obtains nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes onto organic matter and absorbing the digested product.
A eukaryotic multicellular organism that obtains nutrients by ingesting other organisms.
Table
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Recognize the major kingdoms of Eukarya.

1.

What are the 'neat' kingdoms within Domain Eukarya?
  1. Animal
  2. Plant
  3. Fungi

Thought Question: Why do you think unicellular Protists “don’t fit neatly” into the other kingdoms?

Develop a hypothesis as to what influences eukaryotic diversity.

2.

Before reading the rest of Chapter 19, what do you think influences eukaryotic diversity? Propose a hypothesis. (Remember that the eukaryotes are comprised of Animals, Plants, Fungi and Protists).
Various hypotheses could include: The diversity of eukaryotes is influenced by how the organisms obtain nutrients, what kind of habitat the organisms live in, whether they are multi- or unicellular, whether they live in water or on land, how big or little they are, how much they are affected by predation, etc.

Review Questions

3.

What do all eukaryotic organisms have in common?

A.
B.
C.
D.
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Driving Question 2

How are plants defined and what influences their diversity?

Why should you care?

Plants are the basis of practically every eukaryotic food chain on land and many in the ocean. All other eukaryotes rely on plants’ ability to make food from water and atmospheric carbon dioxide. All of our food comes either from plants or from animals that eat plants. Even if you live on bacon cheeseburgers, all of the carbon compounds that you are composed of were once part of plants. That is a big reason to care about plants, but there are many more. Medicines, building materials, and ecosystem stability are just a few more that affect our daily lives. Learning the major groups of plants will give you a fresh perspective and greater appreciation of the organisms that we literally couldn’t live without.

What should you know?

To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to:

  1. Explain the features that define a plant.
  2. Explain the features that distinguish bryophytes from other plants.
  3. Explain the features that distinguish ferns from other plants.
  4. Explain the features that distinguish gymnosperms from other plants.
  5. Explain the features that distinguish angiosperms from other plants.
  6. Develop a hypothesis as to what influences plant diversity.

Infographic Focus

The Infographic most pertinent to the Driving Question is 19.3.

Test Your Vocabulary

Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:

Term Definition
A seed-bearing flowering plant with seeds typically contained within a fruit.
A nonvascular plant that does not produce seeds.
A multicellular eukaryote that has cell walls and carries out photosynthesis. Most plants are adapted to living on land.
A seed-bearing plant with exposed seeds typically held in cones.
A plant with tissues that transport water and nutrients through the plant body.
The first true vascular plants; ferns do not produce seeds.
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2
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Explain the features that define a plant.

6.

What are some features that distinguish plants from other eukaryotes?
They are typically multicellular, have cell walls, preform photosynthesis to obtain nutrients and are typically adapted to living on land.

Explain the features that distinguish bryophytes from other plants.

8.

Bryophytes are different from the rest of the land plants in that they do not have a ____________.
Correct.
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Explain the features that distinguish ferns from other plants.

12.

Name two features that the ferns do not share with bryophytes.
Compared to bryophytes, ferns have a vascular system and can grow tall.

Explain the features that distinguish gymnosperms from other plants.

15.

Name the characteristic that gymnosperms share with ferns and angiosperms.
Gymnosperms, ferns and angiosperms all have vascular systems.

Explain the features that distinguish angiosperms from other plants.

18.

Name the features that distinguish the angiosperms from bryophytes.
Angiosperms, when compared to bryophytes, have a vascular system, are flowering and produce seeds. They are also capable of growing to great heights.

Develop a hypothesis as to what influences plant diversity.

23.

Plants can be found in almost all habitats on Earth, making them a very diverse kingdom. Propose a hypothesis as to why there is such a high level of diversity found in the Plant kingdom.
Various hypotheses could include: The diversity of plants is influenced by reproduction method, seed dispersal method, habitat conditions, potential of getting eaten by consumers, access to natural elements, etc.

Review Questions

24.

Only organisms found in the Plant Kingdom have cell walls.

A.
B.
2
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Driving Question 3

How are animals defined and what influences their diversity?

Why should you care?

You are one of more than a million known species of animals inhabiting Earth. You belong to a group of animals, the vertebrates, which is actually rather small relative to some of the other groups, such as the arthropods or nematodes. Finding out about the relationships between the different groups of animals will teach you about where you fit in the kingdom.

What should you know?

To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to:

  1. Explain the features that define an animal.
  2. Explain how symmetry of body parts is used to classify major groups of animals.
  3. Explain how different physical support systems are used to classify the major groups of animals.
  4. Explain how the presence or absence of a backbone is used to classify animals.
  5. Describe the distinguishing features of several major groups of animals.
  6. Develop a hypothesis as to what influences animal diversity.

Infographic Focus

The Infographic most pertinent to the Driving Question is 19.4.

Test Your Vocabulary

Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:

Term Definition
The pattern exhibited by a body plan with right and left sides that are mirror images of each other.
A segmented worm, such as an earthworm.
An animal lacking a backbone.
An animal having mammary glands and body hair.
An animal with a bony or cartilaginous backbone.
The pattern exhibited by a body plan that is circular, with no defined left and right sides.
A soft-bodied invertebrate, generally with a hard shell (which may be internal or absent in some mollusks).
An invertebrate having a segmented body, a hard exoskeleton, and jointed appendages.
A eukaryotic multicellular organism that obtains nutrients by ingesting other organisms.
A hard external skeleton covering the body of many animals, such as arthropods.
A six-legged arthropod with three body segments: head, thorax, and abdomen.
A solid internal skeleton found in many animals, including humans.
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Explain the features that define an animal.

28.

What are three features that all animals share?
Multicellular, eukaryotic heterotrophs.

Explain how symmetry of body parts is used to classify major groups of animals.

29.

Of the animal groups presented in Infographic 19.4…

…which ones have no symmetry?

???

…which ones are radially symmetric?

???

…which ones are bilaterally symmetric?

???

Explain how different physical support systems are used to classify the major groups of animals.

30.

Animals may have soft bodies, hard shells, or skeletons made of various rigid substances. Skeletons on the outside of the body are called exoskeletons and skeletons found inside the body are endoskeletons.

Of the animal groups presented in Infographic 19.4…

…which have soft bodies and no rigid support?
???

…which may have hard shells?
???

…which have exoskeletons?
???

…which have endoskeletons?
???

Explain how the presence or absence of a backbone is used to classify animals.

31.

Animals with backbones are called vertebrates; those without backbones are called invertebrates. Name the group(s) of animals that contain vertebrates.

Chordates

Thought Question: The largest known invertebrates that live on land are typically less than 12 inches in size. The largest known invertebrate, however, is the Colossal Squid, which is thought to be able to reach a length of 46 feet. Why do you think there is such a discrepancy between invertebrate size on land vs. water?

Describe the distinguishing features of several major groups of animals.

32.

What are some other features of animals besides those discussed above that could be used to differentiate the different groups of animals?
Whether they have a body cavity or not, whether they have organized tissues (like organs) and whether their body is segmented or unsegmented.

Develop a hypothesis as to what influences animal diversity.

33.

Scientists have already cataloged about 370,000 species of beetles alone. With an estimated total of 2 – 4 million species of arthropods on Earth, you can see that animals are an extremely diverse kingdom. Propose a hypothesis as to why there is such a high level of diversity found in the Animal kingdom.

Various hypotheses could include: The diversity of animals is influenced by their food source, habitat, human impact, reproductive mechanisms, etc.

Thought Question: Thought Question: Why do you think there is a larger diversity of small animals, like insects, when compared to the diversity of bigger animals, like mammals? (hint: think of habitats, food sources, etc.)

Review Questions

34.

All organisms in the Animal Kingdom are heterotrophs.

A.
B.
2
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Driving Question 4

How are fungi defined and what influences their diversity?

Why should you care?

Many fungi are intimately connected with humans' daily lives. Fungi are essential for making most breads and all alcoholic beverages. Some are quite tasty to eat, and others cause diseases. Fungi and bacteria together are the primary decomposers in most ecosystems. Recognizing fungi in all their forms will give you a great appreciation for how common they are and help you understand why treatments for fungal diseases are different from those for bacterial diseases.

What should you know?

To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to:

  1. explain the features that define fungi.
  2. explain how fungi gain energy.
  3. develop a hypothesis as to what influences fungal diversity.

Infographic Focus

The Infographic most pertinent to the Driving Question is 19.5.

Test Your Vocabulary

Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:

Term Definition
An organism, such as a fungus or bacterium, that digests and uses the organic molecules in dead organisms as sources of nutrients and energy.
A spreading mass of interwoven hyphae that forms the often subterranean body of multicellular fungi.
A unicellular or multicellular eukaryotic organism that obtains nutrients by secreting digestive enzymes onto organic matter and absorbing the digested product.
A long, threadlike structure through which fungi absorb nutrients.
Table
2
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Explain the features that define fungi.

38.

What is the major difference between animals and fungi?
Fungi are made up of cells that have a cell wall made out of chitin.

Explain how fungi gain energy.

40.

Do fungi eat? Do they have mouths?
Fungi do indeed eat, but they do not have mouths. Rather they expel digestive juices on a dead organism and then absorb the digested products.

Develop a hypothesis as to what influences fungal diversity.

43.

Even though all fungi obtain nutrients in a similar fashion, there is a great diversity in the kingdom. Propose a hypothesis as to what influences diversity in the fungal kingdom.

Various hypotheses could include: The diversity of fungi is influenced by their habitat, organisms they form symbiotic relationships with, manner of reproduction, uni- or multicellular, etc.

Thought Question: Why do you think that Fungi are more closely related to animals than plants?

Explain the features that distinguish gymnosperms from other plants.

46.

Name the characteristic that gymnosperms share with ferns and angiosperms.
Gymnosperms, ferns and angiosperms all have vascular systems.

Explain the features that distinguish angiosperms from other plants.

49.

Name the features that distinguish the angiosperms from bryophytes.
Angiosperms, when compared to bryophytes, have a vascular system, are flowering and produce seeds. They are also capable of growing to great heights.

Develop a hypothesis as to what influences plant diversity.

54.

Plants can be found in almost all habitats on Earth, making them a very diverse kingdom. Propose a hypothesis as to why there is such a high level of diversity found in the Plant kingdom.
Various hypotheses could include: The diversity of plants is influenced by reproduction method, seed dispersal method, habitat conditions, potential of getting eaten by consumers, access to natural elements, etc.

Review Questions

55.

All fungi must ____________ to obtain energy.

A.
B.
C.
D.
2
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Driving Question 5

What are protists and what influences their diversity?

Why should you care?

Although most are unicellular eukaryotes, many protists are no more related to each other than plants are to animals. Why were such different organisms initially grouped into the same kingdom? Largely because they did not seem to fit anywhere else and it seemed improbable that there would be several kingdoms of microscopic organisms. Although most protists are harmless organisms that go unnoticed by most people, a few can cause diseases—for example, the algae that cause red tide, amoebas that cause the diarrheal disease dysentery, and the parasitic protozoan that causes malaria.

What should you know?

To fully answer this Driving Question, you should be able to:

  1. Define a common trait among protists.
  2. Explain what characteristics protists share with animals, plants, and fungi.
  3. Develop a hypothesis for what influences protist diversity.

Infographic Focus

The Infographic most pertinent to the Driving Question is 19.6.

Test Your Vocabulary

Choose the correct term for each of the following definitions:

Term Definition
A seed-bearing flowering plant with seeds typically contained within a fruit.
A nonvascular plant that does not produce seeds.
A multicellular eukaryote that has cell walls and carries out photosynthesis. Most plants are adapted to living on land.
A seed-bearing plant with exposed seeds typically held in cones.
A plant with tissues that transport water and nutrients through the plant body.
The first true vascular plants; ferns do not produce seeds.
Table
2
Try again.
Correct.
Incorrect.

Define a common trait among protists.

57.

What trait(s) unite the extremely diverse protists?
They are susceptible to desiccation.

Explain what characteristics protists share with animals, plants, and fungi.

58.

Near the arrows below, add at least two similarities that different organisms classified as protists may share with animals, plants and fungi.
Protists and animals = heterotrophic, movement
Protists and plants = can carry out photosynthesis, multicellular
Protists and fungi = decomposers, forms filamentous strands of cells

Develop a hypothesis as to what influences protist diversity.

59.

Protists are extremely diverse and hard to classify, yet they are all a part of a single classification. Propose a hypothesis as to what influences diversity in the protist group.

Various hypotheses could include: The diversity of protists is influenced by their habitat, how they obtain nutrients, aquatic or dry land, uni- or multicellular, microscopic vs. macroscopic, pathogenic or not, etc.

Thought Question: Why do you think protists are so hard to classify?

Review Questions

60.

A protist with features similar to both animals and fungi is a(n):

A.
B.
C.
D.
2
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