Phycology: The Study of Algae

Some restricted to marine environment (reds and browns), some to freshwater (our focus) Characterized by morphology, biochemistry, pigments, reproductive methods, food reserves

Photosynthetic Pigments Chlorophylls –Chlorophyll a-found in all algae and macrophytes; the primary pigment Absorbance spectrum nm and 430 nm –Chlorophyll b-only in chlorophyta, euglenophyta and charophyta; Absorbs about 435 nm and 645 nm –Chlorophyll c- accessory pigment Absorbs , , and nm.

Accessory Pigments Carotenes-  and  are most common Xanthophylls-derivatives of carotenes –E.g., lutein, diatoxanthin, myxoxanthin, peridinin Biliproteins-almost exclusively in cyanophyta –E.g., phycocyanin, phycoerethryin

Cyanophyta (Blue-green algae) are prokaryotic bacteria; date to 3.5 BYA ~55% are blue-green ~15% are never blue-green; others may be green, olive, red, purple, black, or colorless Store food as glycogen (iodine negative) Never flagellate, but some can move (oscillate or glide) Reproduction –Sexual-not known –Vegetative-binary fission; fragmentation –Asexual Akinete-germinates directly Heterocyst-may divide either directly to a trichome or to endospores which ‘germinate’ to a trichome Presence of pseudovacuoles; gas-filled; affect buoyancy; may shade other species

Cyanophytes (continued) Nutrition: –Mostly autotrophic, some saprophytic –40 different kinds are N-fixers; all of these have heterocysts; do well in N-poor environments Aphanizomenon Anabaena Nostoc

Distribution-highly successful; terrestrial, aquatic, marine, epiphytic, on walls, soils, parasitic, planktonic; some can live at 80 o C. Economic importance –Rice paddy nitrogen fixation –Nostoc balls –Odors and flavors-musty, moldy –Allergies Coloration of flamingoes and shrimp

Merismopedia Nostoc balls SpirulinaOscillatoria

Lyngbia Microcystis Rivularia Scytonema false branching