Photosynthesis And Macromarine Photoautotrophs Flashcards
Modes of nutrition
Photoautotrophs - light + CO2 - organisms include Cyanobacteria, plants and certain protists (algae)
Photosynthesis equation?
6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy = 6O2 + C6H12O6
Carbon dioxide + water = oxygen + biomass (complex sugars (CHO))
What is biomass?
Energy rich and used by plants to respire and grow
What allows photosynthesis to occur?
Chloroplasts
Why are plants green?
Green light is reflected whilst the other colours are absorbed
What makes marine plants special?
They are vascular meaning they have specialised structures for transport of fluids and nutrients around the plant
Why is algae a non vascular plant?
It has no specialised structures like roots or leaves
What do marine vascular plants have?
Wet feet - salt marshes, mangroves, some ferns
Wet all over - seagrasses
What is a salt marsh?
Intertidal wetland - soft sediment environment Waterlogged muddy soils Dominated by grasses and halophytes (salt tolerant) Low growing vegetation Drainage channels Zonation Seasonal growth Fight to hold onto fresh water Mostly found at 30°
What are seagrasses?
Flowering plants under the ocean
Distribution is light limited
Important part of the food chain
Why is kelp brown?
Can’t survive exposed to air
Not much light available
What is marine algae?
Classified by pigment or size
Red, green or brown
Phylum - Rhodophyta
