Algae live with fungi in lichens according to the whittaker scheme, algae are classified in seven divisions, of which five are. In general, higher concentrations of nanoscale materials show adverse effects on plants and algae, can damage their photosynthetic apparatus, inhibit photosynthetic electron transport or co2. In a superficial sense, these organisms are often described based on their similarities to the other groups of eukaryotes. The major groups of algae are therefore related to the type of protist host and the type of plastid, and these are described. The term thallus is used for a plant body that is not differentiated into root stem and leaves and lacks vascular system. They are found in different habitats from fresh to marine waters to extreme conditions. Chlorophyta is a division of green algae contain chlorophylls a and b, and store food as starch in their plastids. Algae are eukaryotic, autotrophic and usually aquatic thallophytes.
When motile volvox, chlamydomonas the cells are generally provided with a pair of eukaryotic flagella. Phaeophyta characteristics phaeophyta are the most complex forms of algae. Algae definition, characteristics, types and examples byjus. In addition, algae may occur in moist soil or on the surface of moist rocks and wood. Classes in detail 2 hierarchical system of classification. Algae is the term given to a large and diverse group of organisms that tend to be found in watery areas. General characteristics of phaeophyceae pheophyceae are called commonly known as brown algae photosynthetic pigments. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The size range of the algae spans seven orders of magnitude. The oxygen in todays atmosphere is almost entirely the result of photosynthetic living, which had its start with the appearance of bluegreen algae among. Cyanobacteria played a crucial role in the evolution of all photosynthetic plants and algae in existence today. Motile or nonmotile algae may form a colony, known as a coenobium.
A single endosymbiosis appears to have occurred in the green algae, the red algae and the glaucocystophytes. Algae a ubiquitous and diverse group ranges from unicellular to giant multicellular forms. In general, the brown algae flourish in colder ocean. Algae are simple,unicellular,nonjacked sex organ and have no embryo development. Algae physical and ecological features of algae britannica. Red algae is an nonvascular plant that doesnt have a tube that produces water to its stem.
The algae comprise of a large heterogeneous assemblage of. Listed below are general characteristics of red algae. In contrast to the land plants, algae have very diverse mechanisms of photosynthesis, and especially of light harvesting pigments and assemblages. Algae are chlorophyllbearing autotrophic thalloid plant body.
Protista kingdom definition, characteristics, and examples. Bluegreen algae cyanobacteria not an a at all snowella species. Algae exhibit a very wide range of morphological diversity. Characteristics of algae with diagram biology discussion. Protozoa are notable for their ability to move independently, a characteristic found in the majority of species.
Unlike green algae or chlorophyta, they lack true starch. They grow attached to the rocks, shells, or coarser algae such as the kelps. There are many different species belonging to chlorophyta. General types of septa types of septa based on their formation. They show biphasic or triphasic life cycle patterns. Definition, characteristics and structure with diagram. General characteristics of algae algae are eukaryotic organisms that have no roots, stems, or leaves but do have chlorophyll and other pigments for carrying out photosynthesis. As algae possess chlorophyll, they are photosynthetic in nature. Algae are eukaryotic organisms that have no roots, stems, or leaves but do have chlorophyll and other pigments for carrying out photosynthesis. The cell walls are composed of cellulose and alginic acid a complex polysaccharide. For instance, algae can photosynthesize like plants, and they possess specialized structures and cellorganelles, like centrioles and flagella, found only in animals. Many algae consist of only one cell, while the largest have millions of cells.
They are thallophytes which have chlorophyll as their primary photosynthetic pigment and lack a sterile covering of cells around the reproductive cells. Specific general characteristics of algae are common to plants as well as animals. However, there are some common characteristics across species. Nostoc, genus of bluegreen algae with cells arranged in beadlike chains that are grouped together in a gelatinous mass. The autotrophic cyanobacteria were once classified as blue green algae because of their superficial resemblance to eukaryotic green algae.
They usually lack the capability for photosynthesis, although the genus euglena is renowned for motility as well as photosynthesis and is therefore considered both an alga and a protozoan. Algaegeneral characteristics and classification online. The following sections discuss the characteristics and use of both true algae and the cyanophyta, hereinafter referred to as bluegreen algae. Higher fungi like ascomycotina and basidiomycotina. Unit 8lesson 5 characteristics of algae flashcards quizlet. Algaegeneral characteristics and classification online biology. They are chlorophyllous thus autotrophic, with simple. The study of algae is known as phycology phycos seaweed. Algae lack a welldefined body, so, structures like roots, stems or leaves are absent. The thallus of algae shows great degree of variation in size and form. Biogeography the diatoms are unicellular algae that are a large component of phytoplankton in oceans and lakes. Algae are used as food as they are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and few other inorganic substances.
They are a multicellular, filament, blade structure. Kingdom protista land plants evolve recentplants, 500 mya division phaeophyta, first brown plants standard eukaryote cells motile cells usual no multinucleate cells nonstandard chloroplasts general features defining characteristics. They possesses brown colored photosynthetic pigments fucoxanthin and. The word algae represent a large group of different organisms from different phylogenetic groups, representing many taxonomic divisions. Start studying unit 8lesson 5 characteristics of algae. Learn introduction to algae from university of california san diego.
The life of the planet began the long, slow process of modulating and regulating the physical conditions of the planet. The genome structures within chlorophyta are all different. Characteristics of algae presentation by ali akbar,hassan adrees,rida ayoub,tanzila ashraf maria nasrullah gc university faisalabad punjab,pakistan 2. In most groups of algae it appears that the plastid has been derived by at least two serial endosymbioses. This course was produced by the algae technology educational consortium and uc san diego with funding from the algae foundation, the national renewable energy lab, and the u. Diatoms show a characteristic type of nonflagellar locomotion. Domain eukaryote group plantae division phyta chlorophyta class phyceae ulvophyceae order ales ulvales.
Thallus diversity, reproduction and life cycle of algae. Listed below are some of the general characteristics of algae. General characteristics of algae definition, examples. The members of phaeophyta belonging to laminarales are called kelps. The kingdom protista consists of eukaryotic protists. General characteristics of algae linkedin slideshare. Request pdf general characteristics of algae algae a ubiquitous and diverse group ranges from unicellular to giant multicellular forms.
General characteristics and structures this clade is identified by cell walls made up of overlapping silica tests called a frustule. Botany syllabus unit1 algaegeneral characteristics. They form a vital part of the food chain and are also involved in producing about 40 to 60 per cent of the total global oxygen for both terrestrial habitat and other aquatic habitats. They are chlorophyllous thus autotrophic, with simple thallus and lacks tissue differentiation. The general characters characteristics of algae ppt. General characteristics of algae request pdf researchgate. Concepts of botany algae pdf 21p this note contains explanation of algae, structure of alage and its classification. It is an alga rich in vegetal proteins very useful for. The food reserves contain sugar, higher alcohol and other complex forms of polysaccharides. Algaegeneral characteristics, classification, organization of thallus, cell structure. Unicellular algae occur most frequently in water, especially in plankton.
The term algae latin seaweeds was first introduced by linnaeus in 1753, meaning the hepaticeae. Classes prasinophyceae chlorophyceae evolutionary lines flagellated species nonflagellated species colonies filaments ulvophyceae charophyceae phylum chlorophyta general characteristics. Phaeophyta characteristics of phaeophyta the members of this division are commonly called brown algae because of dominant carotene and fucoxanthin, the brown algae are widespread and with few exceptions all are marine. In this article we will discuss about the morphological and cellular characteristics of algae. They may be spherical protococcus, chlorella, or pyriform chlamydomonas. The very common fresh water algae are chlamydomonas, volvox, ulothrix, chara, oedogonium, spirogyra, nostoc, oscillatoria etc. Algae have simple, unicellular nonjacketed sex organs and have no embryo development.
Included organisms range from unicellular microalgae, such as chlorella and the diatoms, to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelp, a large brown alga which may grow. The simplest forms are unicellular, microscopic, motile or nonmotile eukaryotic cells. Spirulina algae arthrospira platensis is a bluegreen microalgae with a spiral shape that grows spontaneously in few areas of the world, such as mexico or africa, where the water of the lakes has a high alkalinity, the temperatures remain constant between 30c degrees and 40c degrees and there is a high concentration of mineral salts. Members of this very diverse kingdom are typically unicelluar and less complex in structure than other eukaryotes. Sepro research and technology campus, 160 watson seed farm rd. Primary septa are formed in direct association with nuclear division mitotic or meiotic and are laid down between daughter nuclei separating the nuclei cells. The algae and their general characteristics springerlink. Algae can be either unicellular or multicellular organisms. Algae definition, characteristics, types and examples. General characteristics of algae with key points easy.
For instance, algae can photosynthesize like plants. General characteristics of algae, classification of algae based on habitat, thallus diversity in algae, chloroplast shape variations in algae, pigmentation in algae, reproduction in algae, life cycle in algae. They occur both in marine and fresh water habitats. General characters with power point presentation ppt. Cyanobacteria and oxygen cyanobacteria release oxygen through photosynthesis only producers of oxygen over several hundreds million years in the biosphere. Although most protozoa reproduce by asexual methods, sexual reproduction has been observed in.