Those who love to dive at the ocean might have known one of these following facts about algae below. Algae are a very large and diverse group of eukaryotic organisms, ranging from unicellular genera such as Chorella and the diatoms to multicellular forms such as the giant kelp, a large brown alga that may grow up to 50 meters in length. Most are autotrophic and lack many of the distinct cell and tissue types found in land plants such as stomata, xylem an phloem. Furthermore, to get to know more about this organism, here are some other facts about algae you might be interested in.

Facts about algae 1: Marine Algae

The largest and most complex marine algae are called seaweeds, while the most complex freshwater forms are the Charophyta, a division of algae that includes Spirogyra and the stoneworts.

Facts about algae 2: Definition

One definition is that algae “have chlorophyll as their primary photosynthetic pigment and lack a sterile covering of cells around their reproductive cells”.Other authors exclude all prokaryotes^[4] and thus do not consider cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) as algae.

Facts about algae 3: Study

Accordingly the modern study of marine and freshwater algae is called either phycology or algology, depending on whether the Greek or Latin root is used. The name Fucus appears in a number of taxa.

Facts about algae 4: Relationship with Higher Plants

The first plants on earth probably evolved from shallow freshwater charophyte algae much like Chare almost 500 million years ago. These probably had an isomorphic alternation of genrations and were probably filamentous. Fossils of isolated land plant spores suggest land plants may have been around as long as 475 million years ago.

Facts about algae 5: Physiology

Many algae, particularly members of the Characeae, have served as model experimental organisms to understand the mechanisms of the water permeability of membranes, osmoregulation, turgor regulation, salt tolerance, cytoplasmic streaming, and the genration of action potentials.

Facts about algae 6: Symbiotic Relationships

Some species of algae form symbiotic realtionships with other organisms. In these symbioses, the algae supply photosynthates (organic substances) to the host organism providing protection to the algal cells. The host organism derives some or all of its energy requirements from the algae.

Facts about algae 7: Life-cycle

In general there is an asexual phase where the seaweed’s cells are diploid, a sexual phase where the cells are haploid followed by fusion of the male and female gametes. Asexual reproduction is advantageous in that it permits efficient population increases, but less variation is possible.

Facts about algae 8: Distribution

Algae spread mainly by the dispersal of spores analogously to the dispersal of Plantae by seeds and spores. Spores are everywhere in all parts of the Earth: the waters fresh and marine, the atmosphere, free-floating and in precipitation or mixed with dust, the humus and in other organisms, such as humans.

Facts about algae 9: Locations

Algae are prominent in bodies of water, common in terrestrial environments and are found in unusual environments, such as on snow and on ice. Seaweeds grow mostly in shallow marine waters, under 100 metres (330 ft); however some have been recorded to a depth of 360 metres (1,180 ft).

Facts about algae 10: Cultural Associations

The third island in Kunming Lake beside the Summer Palace in Beijing is known as the Zaojian Tang Dao which thus simultaneously means “Island of the Algae-Viewing Hall” and “Island of the Hall for Reflecting on Literary Talent”.

Hope you would find those algae facts really interesting, useful and helpful for your additional reading.