Protists (Gr. Protista - The Very First)
Protists are a kingdom of living organisms that includes protozoa, bacteria and myceomycetes, as well as some algae and fungi.
Protists are single-celled or colonial organisms. They have a primitive cell structure compared to the cells of multicellular animals and plants.
Protists include groups such as flagellates, sporozoans, rhizopods, dinoflagellates and others. They are widely distributed in aquatic and soil environments.
Protists play an important role in the cycle of substances in nature. Many of them are parasites of humans and animals, causing dangerous diseases. Other protists, on the contrary, are useful for humans, participating in the processes of fermentation and wastewater treatment.
Thus, protists are a large group of primitive single-celled organisms that play an important role in ecosystems and are of great importance to humans.