8. (a) (i) Are fungi prokaryotic or eukaryotic? (ii) Name one structure in plant cells not found in fungi - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 8 - 2012

One structure found in plant cells that is not present in fungi is the chloroplast, which is responsible for photosynthesis.

The purpose of using agar is to provide a source of nutrients or substrate for growth. It serves as a medium that supports the growth of microorganisms by providing essential nutrients.

Leaf yeasts are more plentiful in July due to the warmer temperatures and increased availability of leaves, which provide more nutrients and suitable conditions for growth.

I introduced the leaf yeasts into agar plates by using an aseptic technique. I gently pressed a leaf onto the surface of the agar, ensuring contact to allow the yeasts to transfer from the leaf to the medium.

The precise purpose of a control in this investigation was to ensure that the yeast growth observed was due to the introduction of the leaf, and not due to contamination from the agar itself.

I recognized the leaf yeasts by observing pink colonies which indicated the presence of yeast growth.

I safely disposed of the plates by immersing them in a disinfectant solution or autoclaving them to ensure that no live cultures were released into the environment.

In the graph, I would depict a lag phase initially, where the number of leaf yeasts remains low, followed by a log phase where the population increases rapidly, then a stationary phase where the population stabilizes, and finally a decline phase where the number decreases.