Algae Flashcards
(36 cards)
What are algae?
Simple eukaryotic photoautotrophs; some are unicellular, others multicellular without true tissues.
What structures do algae lack that are found in plants?
Roots, stems, and leaves.
Where are algae commonly found?
Mostly aquatic (ocean and freshwater), some in moist soil or trees.
What is a thallus?
The body of multicellular algae consisting of holdfast, stipes, and blades.
Give examples of algae organisms.
Chlamydomonas, Volvox, Ulothrix, Fristschiella, Ulva, Vaucheria
Name three aquatic habitats where algae are found.
Freshwater (e.g., Spirogyra), Marine water (e.g., Sargassum), Rapidly running water (fluviatile).
What are halophytic algae?
Algae found in highly saline environments.
What are endozoic algae?
Algae that grow inside animals.
How do algae reproduce asexually?
By fragmentation or mitosis, forming new thalli or filaments.
What is alternation of generations in algae?
A life cycle where one generation reproduces sexually and the next asexually.
What are obligate heterotrophic algae?
Primarily heterotrophic but capable of phototrophy (e.g., Gymnodinium gracilentum).
What are obligate phototrophic algae?
Primarily phototrophic but can use phagotrophy or osmotrophy (e.g., Dinobryon divergens).
What are mixotrophic algae?
Algae that can use both phototrophy and heterotrophy.
What pigment gives brown algae its color?
Fucoxanthin.
Where are red algae typically found?
At greater ocean depths.
What is agar and where does it come from?
A gelatinous substance from red algae used in microbiology and food.
What pigments are found in green algae?
Chlorophyll a and b.
Which green alga is microscopic and found in freshwater?
Spirogyra.
Which brown alga grows in the littoral zone?
Fucus.
Which red alga is found in the benthic zone?
Dasya.
What are diatoms?
Unicellular filamentous algae with silica and pectin cell walls.
What is domoic acid?
A toxin from diatoms that can cause neurological damage.
How are diatoms used in forensics?
Their silica skeletons can indicate drowning if found in bodies.
What are dinoflagellates?
Unicellular algae with cellulose-reinforced membranes, part of plankton.
