Characteristics of Protista: Since the kingdom of Protista is a diversified one, it is difficult to coherently characterize them in a simplified manner. The organisms that form a part of this kingdom are diverse and multifarious in terms of bodily structure, reproductive abilities, and nutrition.

Characteristics of Protista

However, the characteristics of Protista can be summarised in the following manner:

• While some organisms may be unicellular, some others may be colonial or multicellular.

• Since protists are a part of the eukaryotic kingdoms, their organisational structure can be varied. For instance, protists have multiple organelles that also include a nucleus, mitochondria, plastids, food vacuoles, and flagella.

• One of the defining characteristics of protista is that they are capable of both sexual and asexual reproduction.

• Protists are free-living organisms, but they are also capable of living interdependently with another organism.

• The relationship between a protist and another organism is either a collaborative one or a parasitic one. In a collaborative relationship, both of them benefit from each other, whereas in a parasitic relationship, the protist is deriving the benefit by feeding off the host.

• Usually, there are two different sides to protists – one side is beneficial to humans, while the other side harms them in the form of dangerous, life-threatening diseases. Protists are the bedrock of the food chain where they form a vital part of the plankton aquatic system.

• Protists have the dual characteristics of both mobility and immobility. While some protists are ambulatory as they use cilia, flagella, and pseudopodia as fake feet to commute, some of them are stationary as well.

• Another characteristic of protists is that they can be both autotrophic, that is, preparing their own food, and heterotrophic, that is, acquiring outside sources of nutrition. For example, Euglena performs mixotrophic nutrition as both holotropic (where the organism captures and ingests the food) and saprotrophic (where the organism releases enzymes that convert organic matter into simpler products) modes of nutrition can be observed in them.

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By Team Learning Mantras