Our 2nd examination is coming up on Friday, March 4. This exam covers the protists and fungi. The number of points in the exam for the protists and non-protist sections will be proportional (approx.) to the number of lectures devoted to each section.

DO NOT think of each block of information (evolution, protists, fungi, etc.) as separate from each other. Our course has an evolutionary theme and many of the same phenomena exist in each group.

Obviously you need to KNOW the basic information AND have it reasonably at your fingertips. In addition you need to UNDERSTAND the material so that you can make connections. In other words, memorization is necessary, and will help, but you must also go beyond pure memorization in your preparation.

Below are some sample questions that refer more to the material on protists. Remember, these are examples of the TYPE of question that could be asked, not necessarily questions that will be asked. IF you can do the following then you are preparing properly for the exam then you should do well. Protist and fungi structures, etc. could be mixed in the choices for a particular multiple choice question.

1) IF given some taxa (e.g. – Ciliophora, Apiocomplexa, Rhizopoda, and Phaeophyta), could you put them in order from least advanced to most advanced AND could you give some substantial reasons for the order.

2) Could you compare and contrast two phyla as regards mode of nutrition, life cycle, importances, type(s) of reproduction, level of organism complexity, storage products or pigments (if applicable), etc.

3) Can you DEFINE basic terms and phenomena (e.g. – haplobiontic life cycle, pseudopodium, sporophyte, gametangium, coenocytic, undulipodium, isogamete, planktonic, gametic meiosis, etc.)? Note: an example is NOT a definition!

4) If given a list of structures/processes/phenomena could you match it up with its phylum or domain? This could be asked as either a matching question or as a multiple choice question. For example, do you know which taxa are autotrophic and is it type I or Type II) or heterotrophic, sexual or asexual, where meiosis occurs in the life cycle of a taxon, if they possess motility structures, or if they have economic importance (positive or negative) and what it is?

5) If given pictures/illustrations of some organisms could you identify indicated structures and tell (if it applies) whether the structure is n or 2n.

6) If asked, could you discuss things briefly (but logically and clearly) such as: the advantages/disadvantages of sexual reproduction; the differences between Type I and II photosynthesis, the advantages of multicellularity over unicellularity; the difference between haplobiontic and diplobiontic life cycles, the difference between an ascus and a basidium, etc.

7) Can you explain how the motility structures of Bacteria differs from those in the Eukarya?

9) Some examples of multiple choice type questions:

Which of the following is the most ancient?
a) mitosis
b) respiration
c) meiosis
d) Archaea
e) type II photosynthesis

All photosynthetic eukaryotes have:
a) chlorophyll b
b) type II photosynthesis
c) type I photosynthesis
d) undulipodia
e) sexual reproduction

ALL sexually reproducing organisms MUST have:
a) meiosis
b) isogamy
c) colonial body structure
d) chloroplasts
e) haplobiontic life cycles

Which of the following would NOT apply to a member of the Ciliophora?
a) organelles
b) heterotrophic
c) eukaryotic
d) binucleate or multinucleate
e) multicellular

Eukaryotes evolved about _______ years ago.
a) 150 million
b) 400 million
c) 1.5 billion
d) 165 million
e) 3.5 billion

Which phylum gave rise to plants?
a) Phaeophyta
b) Zoomatigina
c) Bacillariophyta
d) Chlorophyta
e) Foraminifera

Which of the following produces agar?
a) Ciliophora
b) Chlorpphyta
c) Rhodophyta
d) Myxomycota
e) Ascomycota

Multiple Choice Answers: d, b, a, e, c, d, c. Do you UNDERSTAND why the other choices in a question are incorrect?

Some General Study Topics - Chapter 31 (Fungi)

- characteristics of the Fungi

- origin of the Fungi

- importance of Fungi (positive and negative)

- If given some diagrams of fungal structures could you name them and could you tell if they were n, 2n,
dikaryotic or coenocytic?

- Can you name the divisions and give some diagnostic characteristics to separate one from another?

- Mycorrhizae (what are they, subtypes, importance)

-Lichens (what are they, major subforms, importance)

Sample Essay and Definition Questions:

Define: dikaryotic, mutualism, haustorium, saprobic, ascus, pileus, progametangium, soredium, basidiocarp, conidiophore, ectomycorrhizal association, mycobiont

Explain what sets the Deuteromycota apart from the other fungal divisions.

A friend has purchased two fungal cultures. They are in the non-reproductive mycelial stage. The labels came off. One is a zygomycote and the other is an ascomycote. He is not sure which is which and he has to know today. He does have a microscope. What would you tell him to look for to be able to determine their division affinity?

Explain what happens in an ascus as it develops from the very beginning to its full maturity.

How is a soredium like a conidiospore? How is it different?

Multiple Choice Sample Questions: Chapter 31

1) Which of the following would you NOT expect to find in Rhizopus?

a) meiosis

b) sporangia

c) flagellated gametes

d) spores

e) fertilization

2) In fungi meiosis would take place:

a) in the formation of gametes

b) during zygote germination

c) as conidiospores develop into mycelium

d) during plasmogamy

e) during karyogamy

3) In the Deuteromycota you would NOT expect to find:

a) cells

b) hyphae

c) mycelium

d) spores

e) zygotes

4) Which of the following would be found in, or as part of, a basidiocarp:

a) dikaryotic hyphae

b) agar

c) conidiospore

d) primary mycelium

e) progametangium

ANSWERS: 1) c, 2) b, 3) e, 4) a