Asked by Elizabeth Geil-Skov on May 06, 2024
Verified
Gut-dwelling ____ help cattle, sheep and related grazing animals break down ____ in plant material.
A) ciliates; chlorophyll
B) apicomplexans; cellulose
C) dinoflagellates; cellulose
D) dinoflagellates; chlorophyll
E) ciliates; cellulose
Gut-dwelling
Referring to organisms that live within the digestive tract of a host, contributing to or affecting the host's health and nutritional status.
Ciliates
Single-celled or colonial protists with cilia.
Cellulose
A complex carbohydrate comprised of glucose units, forming the primary structural component of plant cell walls.
- Describe the ecological roles and importance of protists in ecosystems.
- Distinguish between different modes of nutrition among protists.
Verified Answer
NH
Neima HernandezMay 12, 2024
Final Answer :
E
Explanation :
Cattle, sheep and related grazing animals have symbiotic microorganisms in their gut that help to break down the cellulose in plant material, which they would not be able to digest otherwise. Ciliates, which are a type of protozoa, are known to be important cellulose degraders in the rumen of these animals.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the ecological roles and importance of protists in ecosystems.
- Distinguish between different modes of nutrition among protists.