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Biology Algae A. General Characteristics: Volvox, Etc), Some Are Marine (Sargassum, Laminaria, Etc) and Some Are

Algae are a diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that can be unicellular or multicellular. They contain chlorophyll or chloroplasts and reproduce both sexually and asexually. The main classifications of algae are Chlorophyta (green algae), Phaeophyta (brown algae), Rhodophyta (red algae), and Chrysophyta (golden algae). Each group contains different pigments and have examples that can be unicellular, colonial, filamentous or parenchymatous. Algae play an important ecological role as producers in the food chain.

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143 views2 pages

Biology Algae A. General Characteristics: Volvox, Etc), Some Are Marine (Sargassum, Laminaria, Etc) and Some Are

Algae are a diverse group of eukaryotic organisms that can be unicellular or multicellular. They contain chlorophyll or chloroplasts and reproduce both sexually and asexually. The main classifications of algae are Chlorophyta (green algae), Phaeophyta (brown algae), Rhodophyta (red algae), and Chrysophyta (golden algae). Each group contains different pigments and have examples that can be unicellular, colonial, filamentous or parenchymatous. Algae play an important ecological role as producers in the food chain.

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gespurba
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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BIOLOGY

ALGAE

A. General characteristics
• Algae are eukaryotes, unicellular or multicellular.
• Algae have chloroplasts or chlorophyll.
• Algae have undifferentiated body known as “thallus”.
• Algae reproduce sexually and/or asexually.
• Algae play ecological roles as autotrophs, the producers in the food chain.

Reproduction • Asexual: fragmentation (each fragment develops into a thallus) or


production of spores (zoospores).
• Sexual: fusion of gametes, could be isogamous (similar size), or
anisogamous (dissimilar size) or oogamous (immotile large female gamete
and a motile smaller male gamete fuse), or conjugation.

B. Classifications of Algae
Chlorophyta • Chlorophyta are the largest group of algae.
(Green algae) • They contain pigments like chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b.
• Most occur in freshwater (Spirogyra, Oedogonium, Chlamydomonas,
Volvox, etc), some are marine (Sargassum, Laminaria, etc) and some are
parasitic (Polysiphonia, Harvevella, Cephaleuros).
• The chloroplasts show various shape: Spiral shape in Spirogyra, cup shaped
in Chlamydomonas, star shaped in Zygnema, girdle shaped in Ulothrix.
• Pyrenoids stores starch.

Examples:
• Unicellular free living: Chlamydomonas
• Coloni form: Volvox
• Multicellular, filamentous form: Spirogyra
• Multicellular, parenchymatous form: Ulva
Phaeophyta • They possess brown colored photosynthetic pigments fucoxanthin and β-
(Brown algae) carotenoids in addition to chlorophyll a and chlorophyll c.
• They are almost marine.
Examples: Dictyota, Laminaria, and Sargassum.
No unicellular and colonial (motile or non-motile) brown algae till known.
Rhodophyta • They possess Red colored photosynthetic pigments phycocyanin and
(Red algae) phycoerythrin along with chlorophyll a, chlorophyll d, xanthophyll and β-
carotenoid.
• They are aquatic, mostly marine. Some are freshwater e.g.
Batrachospermum.

Examples:
• Unicellular: Porphyridium
• Multicellular: Goniotrichum
• Parenchymatous: Porphyra
• Unicellular colonies: Chroothece
Chrysophyta • They contain pigments xanthophyll and β-carotenoid.
(Golden algae) • They found in both marine and fresh waters.
Example:
• Unicellular: Ochrosomonas, Navicula
• Filamentous form: Vauchera

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