I know that volvox belongs to the group of protists what i need to know is:
-how does it reproduce
-is it heterotroph or autotroph
-how does it move
-is it eukaryote or prokaryote (plant/animal)
-why is it important in the enviroment
PLEASE NO LINKS TO OTHER PAGES JUST ANSWER MY QUESTIONS THANX : )
2007-03-29 10:25:56 · 4 answers · asked by 36696 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Volvox is a colonial freshwater chlorophyte (aquatic, photosynthetic (thus autotrophic), eukaryotic). The colony is a hollow ball whose wall is composed of humdreds or thousands of biflagellated (thus, it moves by the beating of the flagella) cells embedded in a gelatinous matrix. The cells are usually connected by strands of protoplasm; if isolated, these cells cannot reproduce. The large colonies often form smaller colonies within them; these are later released.
They can reproduce either asexually or sexually. An asexual colony includes both somatic, or vegetative, cells, which do not reproduce, and gonidia near the posterior, which produce new colonies through repeated division. These daughter colonies are initially held within the parent and have their flagella directed inwards. Later, the parent disintegrates and the daughters invert. In sexual reproduction two types of gametes are produced. Male colonies release numerous microgametes, or sperm, while in female colonies single cells enlarge to become oogametes, or eggs.
Volvox is found in ponds and ditches, and even in shallow puddles; it can be eaten by heterotrophs, and because it photosynthesizes, it produces oxygen.
2007-03-29 10:37:43 · answer #1 · answered by kt 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It reproduced by binary fission
It is an autotroph (because of the presence of chloroplasts)
It just floats (planktonic)
Definitely eukaryote (and eukaryote means that its nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear envelope and its DNA has histone proteins...nothing to do with being a plant or animal)
It occupies an ecological niche by providing food for the fish that live in ponds, etc. You can say that it is a part of a food chain.
Actually Volvox is believed to be the first protist to actually die, i.e Paramecia and Euglenae never die but keep on dividing, but incase of Volvox, the outer cells die and new cells form from the inside. Volvox is believed to be formed by a number of Chlamydomonae (greenish bacteria with 2 flagellae) aggregated into a hollow ball.
2007-03-29 12:46:23 · answer #2 · answered by Sdrawkcab 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is asexual it self fertilizes and splits of one of its many divisions as a nex volvox
a volvox has many cilia which aids in its movement(cilia are hair like structures)
prokaryote single celled organism does not contain a nucleus
it is heterotrophic
it is imprtant just like we are important it is part of the life cycle it is in a group of decomposers
2007-03-29 13:38:22 · answer #3 · answered by Cassie 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
pao im also trying to find that out this is so hard I didn't even find the other ones!!! Can you help me with the other ones tomorrow plzz?? thank you paoo c u 2maro, bye!!
2007-03-29 10:32:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋