A young student is trying to recapitulate an experiment discussed in the text. She introduces single-celled green algae into a petri dish containing predatory protists. After several generations, what will she observe?
A)The protists will produce multicellular colonies.
B)Green algae will form multicellular colonies.
C)Green algae will remain unicellular (i.e., there is no benefit to forming multicellular structures).
D)Both protists and green algae will remain unicellular.
E)None of the answer options is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In the presence of predatory protists, single-celled green algae may evolve to form multicellular colonies as a defense mechanism. This adaptation can help protect individual cells within the colony from being eaten, as the larger, multicellular structure can be more difficult for predators to consume.

A Young Student Is Trying to Recapitulate an Experiment Discussed