Algea essays

Algea essays Algae are simple water plants. They contain chlorophyll and photosynthesize (retain water, light and carbon dioxide to produce food and oxygen). They are eukaryotic having a full fledged nucleus, and contrary to prokaryotic cells, they have cell walls usually composed of cellulose. Algae come in different colours, shapes and sizes (10-25 Um to 200m); some are unicellular, or found in simple to complex colony style endeavors and even in multicellular structures. Some are mobile; propelled by their flagella, and some have specialized cells called holdfast to get a grip on things. Reproduction can be both asexual and sexual for these simple, yet abundant plants. Algae are amongst the most important food producing groups in the world, and are by far responsible for over 90% of the oxygen in this world. They are found in just about any type of environment though they are dependant on light (photosynthetic) and water for most of their basic needs. The most important factor of survival for algae is their immediate habitat. Since algae are photosynthetic they cannot survive without light, thus they must live in the presence of light. Because algae are simple plants and lack the complexity of having a thick and vascular assembly, they are constantly in need of water for structural support and to prevent them from drying out. Most Phylum Chlorophyta algae (green algae) live in fresh water: places such as lakes, ponds and streams. Chlamydomonas, a genus of green algae, are common in ditches, pools, and other bodies of standing fresh water and in soils. Chlamydomonas are more likely to be found in gentle environments to compensate for their simple structure. Moving on, we have the slightly more complex green algae, such as Oedogonium, Ulothrix and Spirogyra, which can adapt to both running and standing fresh water. Rarely some types of green algae are found in marine habitats (salt water, oceans). The Ulva for instance, lives in a somewhat shal...