Green algae
Green algae are microscopic protists. One can find them in all sorts of natural water: salt water, freshwater and brackish water. The group is less used in classification today. Although most are descended from a common ancestor, some are not. Some of their descendants, the land plants are not included in the group, so the group is not monophyletic.
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The green algae are the large group of algae from which the higher plants developed.[1]
The green algae include unicellular and colonial flagellates, usually but not always with two flagella per cell, as well as various colonial, coccoid, and filamentous forms. In the Charales, the closest relatives of higher plants, full differentiation of tissues occurs. There are about 6000 species of green algae.[2] Many species live most of their lives as single-cells, other species form colonies or long filaments.
Green Algae Media
A growth of the green seaweed Ulva on rock substratum at the ocean shore. Some green seaweeds like Ulva are quick to utilize inorganic nutrients from land runoff, and thus can be indicators of nutrient pollution.
I took this image using a digital camera and a compound light microscope at a total magnification of 100X.*This is fresh water green algae collected from the scum on the top of a pond in February 2007 in Waxahachie, Texas.*The weather had been warm and was turning cold again. I think that it induced these algae to conjugate. The pointer is showing conjugating filamentous green algae.
Related pages
- Algae
- Brown algae
- Euglena, a protist that includes a green alga within its cells
- Seaweed
References
- ↑ Jeffrey D. Palmer, Douglas E. Soltis and Mark W. Chase (2004). "The plant tree of life: an overview and some points of view". American Journal of Botany. 91 (10): 1437–1445. doi:10.3732/ajb.91.10.1437. PMID 21652302. Archived from the original on 2010-10-09. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
- ↑ Thomas, D. 2002. Seaweeds. The Natural History Museum, London. ISBN 0-565-09175-1
More reading
- Lewis L.A & R.M. McCourt (2004). "Green algae and the origin of land plants". American Journal of Botany. 91 (10): 1535–1556. doi:10.3732/ajb.91.10.1535. PMID 21652308. Archived from the original on 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2007-08-12.
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- F. Leliaert; et al. (2012). "Phylogeny and molecular evolution of the green algae" (PDF). Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. 31 (1): 1–46. doi:10.1080/07352689.2011.615705. S2CID 17603352. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-02-10.
Other websites
- Green algae and cyanobacteria in lichens Archived 2006-09-21 at the Wayback Machine
- Green algae (UC Berkeley)
- Monterey Bay green algae Archived 2007-02-06 at the Wayback Machine