Algae and their Symbiosis

Question 1

who is in the polyphyletic group?

Answer 1

organisms arising from multiple ancestral sources

Question 2

why were algae grouped togeher

Answer 2

common traits based off what class of organism the symbiont is in and what type of endosymbiosis occured

Question 3

what are Rhodophyta

Answer 3

red algae

Question 4

characteristics of red algae

Answer 4

abundant in tropical and warm waters, mostly multicellular, mainly marine

Question 5

what is the pigmentation of red algae

Answer 5

chlorophyll a, carotenoids, phycobiliprotein (responsible for red color)

Question 6

characteristics of glaucophytes

Answer 6

all unicellular
all freshwater species
pigmentation mix of green and red algae
plasma membrane residue from cyanobacteria endosymbiont: peptidoglycan around chloroplast

Question 7

characteristics of green algae

Answer 7

diverse species, variety of habitats (desert to snow, tree trunks, soil), size varies (single cell, colonial grouping of single cells, large seaweeds)

Question 8

commonalities between green algae and precursor to them as land plants:

Answer 8

chlorophylls a and b, store starch in plastids.

some (not all) have structured cell walls: cellulose, hemicelluloses, and pectic substances

Question 9

characteristics of Chlamydomonas

Answer 9

motile, unicellular, freshwater green alga, 2 flagella, chloroplast has a red photosensitive eyespot, pyrenoid (a carbon-concentrating mechanism), part of the Genus Chlamydomonas (several distinct lineages)

Question 10

what are the advantages of asexual reproduction

Answer 10

fast reproduction

Question 11

what are the advantages of sexual reproduction

Answer 11

genetic variation which leads to diversified traits in population

Question 12

what is pink glacial ice in the Alps caused by?

Answer 12

green algae

Question 13

what does algae do to ice

Answer 13

darkens it, whereas normally ice reflects 80% of the sun’s radiation back

Question 14

what two major organisms groups are green algae a key partner to?

Answer 14

lichens and sea sponges - provides food/energy

Question 15

lichen consist of what organisms

Answer 15

mostly green algae, cyanobacteria, and fungi

Question 16

where are lichens found

Answer 16

in almost all ecosystems on the planet; desert, snow, extreme conditions and temperate ones

Question 17

what is lichens fungal partner

Answer 17

mycobiont - provides minerals and protection

Question 18

what do lichens provide?

Answer 18

carbohydrates since they are photosynthesizers

Question 19

what do mycobionts control

Answer 19

rate of growth

Question 20

what are the human uses of lichens

Answer 20

algal biofuels such as photobioreactors, kombu, nori, agar, carageenan, ulva sea lettuce

Question 21

what is blue-green algae?

Answer 21

NOT algae, but cyanobacteria