Algae - Encyclopedia. com Algae Algae (singular: alga) are photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms that do not develop multicellular sex organs Algae can be unicellular, or they may be large, multicellular organisms Algae can occur in salt or fresh waters, or on the surfaces of moist soil or rocks The multicellular algae develop specialized tissues, but they lack the true stems, leaves, or roots of the more complex
Green Algae | Encyclopedia. com green algae Large group of marine and freshwater algae (phylum Chlorophyta) They are distinct from other algae by virtue of possessing cup-shaped chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll b, and by producing cells with flagella at some stage in their lives Green algae range in size from microscopic single-cell types to large, complex seaweeds
Cyanobacteria - Encyclopedia. com Cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae [1]) are microorganisms that structurally resemble bacteria (they lack a nucleus and organelles ) However, unlike other bacteria, cyanobacteria contain chlorophyll a and conduct oxygenic photosynthesis
Evolution of Plants - Encyclopedia. com Evolution of Plants Plants, descended from aquatic green algal ancestors, first appeared on land more than 450 million years ago during or prior to the Ordovician period This event preceded the colonization of land by four-footed animals (tetrapods), which occurred considerably later in the Devonian period (408 to 360 million years ago) Understanding the origin of plants is important because
Chlorophyta - Encyclopedia. com Chlorophyta (green algae) Division of algae which are typically green in colour In common with higher land plants, green algae include chlorophylls a and b among their principal pigments, have cellulose as the main constituent of cell walls, and form food reserves of starch
Diatoms - Encyclopedia. com Diatoms Algae are a very diverse group of simple, nucleated, plant-like aquatic organisms that are primary producers Primary producers are able to utilize photosynthesis to create organic molecules from sunlight, water , and carbon dioxide Ecologically vital, algae account for roughly half of photosynthetic production of organic material on earth in both freshwater and marine environments
Amoeba - Encyclopedia. com The amoeba mainly eats bacteria, algae, and other protozoans Any waste that remains after the food is digested is released from a contractile vacuole (one that can open and close) Water also flows into the amoeba by the process of osmosis (in which water flows through a membrane until the solutions on either side of it are at equal strength)
Rhodophyta - Encyclopedia. com Rhodophyta (red algae) A group of Eukarya which are mostly red in colour; no flagellated cells are formed, and the storage product is a type of starch known as floridean starch Sexual reproduction tends to be complicated Red algae may be unicellular, but most are filamentous or membranaceous The majority occur in the sea, but some are freshwater or terrestrial The group includes 1 class
Chlorophyll - Encyclopedia. com Chlorophyll (KLOR-uh-fill) is the pigment that gives plants, algae, and cyanobacteria their green color The name comes from a combination of two Greek words, chloros, meaning "green" and phyllon, meaning "leaf " Chlorophyll is the substance that enables plants to create their own food through photosynthesis At least five forms of chlorophyll