Phylum Rhodophyta- Red Algae Presented By: Kyle Williamson and Niaed Vega

What is Red Algae?  Red algae is a large group of algae that includes many seaweeds that are manly red in color.  Most red algae are known as macro algae. Macro algae refers to multicellular species.  Rhodophytes have been classified as part of kingdom Plantae by genetic analyses  Red algae is a large group of algae that includes many seaweeds that are manly red in color.  Most red algae are known as macro algae. Macro algae refers to multicellular species.  Rhodophytes have been classified as part of kingdom Plantae by genetic analyses

Why is red algae important?  Red algae act as habitat and food for some animals.  Certain calcified red algae known as corallines help to build and maintain coral reefs.  Phycocolloids are starch-like chemicals found in red algae and is often used in food processing.  Red algae act as habitat and food for some animals.  Certain calcified red algae known as corallines help to build and maintain coral reefs.  Phycocolloids are starch-like chemicals found in red algae and is often used in food processing.

What allows red algae to live deeper than other algae?  The reason red algae can live at deeper depths is because red light is quickly filtered out by the water column, while green and blue light penetrate the most deeply.  Red algae reflect red light, but absorb light in the blue and green spectrum to get energy, so they can survive where only a little bit of light penetrates.  Members in this phylum have chlorophyll a, but not b.  Chlorophyll a is a pigment directly involved with photosynthesis and chlorophyll b just assists chlorophyll a in capturing light for photosynthesis.  The reason red algae can live at deeper depths is because red light is quickly filtered out by the water column, while green and blue light penetrate the most deeply.  Red algae reflect red light, but absorb light in the blue and green spectrum to get energy, so they can survive where only a little bit of light penetrates.  Members in this phylum have chlorophyll a, but not b.  Chlorophyll a is a pigment directly involved with photosynthesis and chlorophyll b just assists chlorophyll a in capturing light for photosynthesis.

Classification DOMAIN Eukaryota KINGDOM/ SUPERGROUP Plantae PHYLA Rhodophyta (Red Algae) Chlorophyta (Green Algae) Magnoliphyta (Flowering plants- sea grasses and mangroves) DOMAIN Eukaryota KINGDOM/ SUPERGROUP Plantae PHYLA Rhodophyta (Red Algae) Chlorophyta (Green Algae) Magnoliphyta (Flowering plants- sea grasses and mangroves)

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