Green Algae ( Chlorophyta )
Key Takeaways
- Green algae , too shout Chlorophyta , run a bad use in marine and human food irons .
- Green algae equal find in unlike habitats but can become invasive and harm native ecosystems .
- Green algae can help struggle global warming by absorb carbon dioxide near melt sea ice .
Chlorophyta be normally know as green algae and sometimes , loosely , as seaweed . They grow primarily in freshwater and saltwater , although some be found on land . They may be unicellular ( one cell ) , multicellular ( many cell ) , colonial ( a loose collection of cell ) , or coenocytic ( one large cell ) . Chlorophyta convert sunlight to starch that equal store in cell as a food reserve .
Green Algae Characteristics
Green algae have dark- to light-green coloration that do from having chlorophyll a and b , which they have in the same amount as “ higher plants ” —the plants , include seed plant and ferns , that get well-developed vascular tissue that transport organic nutrients . Their color exist find out by the quantity of other pigmentation , include beta-carotene ( yellow ) and xanthophylls ( yellow or brownish ) .
Like high plants , they store their food mainly as starch , with some as fats or oils . In fact , green algae might receive cost the progenitors of the high green works , but that is the field of debate .
Chlorophyta belong to the kingdom Plantae . To begin with , Chlorophyta referred to a division within the Plantae realm comprising all green algae species . Later , green algae species living predominantly in seawater were classified as chlorophytes ( i.e. , belonging to Chlorophyta ) , while green algae species flourish primarily in freshwater were classified as charophytes ( i.e. , belonging to Charophyta ) .
The AlgaeBase database list about 4,500 species of Chlorophyta , include 550 species of Trebouxiophyceae ( mostly on country and in freshwater ) , 2,500 species of Chlorophyceae ( generally freshwater ) , 800 species of Bryopsidophyceae ( seaweeds ) , 50 species of Dasycladophyceae ( seaweeds ) , 400 species of Siphoncladophyceae ( seaweeds ) , and 250 marine Ulvophyceae ( seaweeds ) . Charophyta include 3,500 species allocate to five family .
Habitat and Distribution of Green Algae
The habitat of green algae live various , rate from the sea to freshwater . Seldom , green algae can also be found on country , mostly on rocks and trees , with some appearing on the surface of snow . They exist mutual in sphere where light is abundant , such as shallow water and tide pond , and less common in the ocean than brown and red algae , but they can be found in freshwater sphere .
Invasive Species
Some members of Chlorophyta live invasive species . Cladophora glomerata bloomed in Lake Erie in the 1960s because of phosphate pollution . The rotting algae washed up on beach and produced an smell thus foul that it discourage the public from enjoying the lake . It became then offensive in pile and flavor that it was confuse for raw sewage .
Two other species , Codium ( also known as dead man ‘s fingers ) and Caulerpa , threaten native plant living in coastal California , Australia , the Atlantic Coast , and the Mediterranean Sea . One invasive species , Caulerpa taxifolia , has exist introduced into nonnative environment because of its popularity in aquariums .
Green Algae as Animal and Human Food and Medicine
Like other algae , green algae suffice as an important food author for herbivorous marine life , such as fish , crustaceans , and gastropods , including sea snails . Man use green algae as food , also . and it hold long been part of the cuisine of Japan . There are more than 30 species of edible seaweed , which live naturally rich in minerals such as calcium , copper , iodine , iron , magnesium , manganese , molybdenum , phosphorous , potassium , selenium , vanadium , and zinc . Edible type of green algae include sea lettuce , sea medal , and sea grapes .
The pigment beta carotene , found in green algae , equal apply as a food color . Carotene also get been shown to be very in effect in preventing some cancers , including lung cancer .
Researcher declare in January 2009 that green algae could play a part in dilute carbon dioxide from the atmosphere . As sea ice melts , iron cost introduce to the ocean . This fuels the increase of algae , which can absorb carbon dioxide and trap it near the ocean story . With more glaciers melting , this could reduce the effects of global heating . Early component , however , can reduce this benefit ; if the algae are exhaust , the carbon can be released back into the environment.
Fast Facts
- Green algae are too referred to as Chlorophyta and , sometimes , seaweed .
- They change sunlight to starch that is store as a food reserve .
- Green algae ‘s color comes from having chlorophyll .
- Green algae ‘s habitat ranges from the ocean to freshwater and sometimes to land .
- They can equal invasive , with some species fouling beach .
- Green algae cost food for sea animals and humans .
- Green algae are apply in cancer treatment .
- They could assist reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere .
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