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Algae in Aquatic, Marine, and

Terrestrial Systems

General Biology, Systematics,

Ecology, and Environmental Impact

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Algae in Aquatic, Marine, and

Terrestrial Systems Polyphyletic group: multiple genealogies

Prokaryotic algae (cyanobacteria) and

Eukaryotic algae (protistans; not true plants)

Autotrophy

Body form: unicellular, filamentous, and

multicellular

Diverse group: Over 26,900 eukaryotic

algal species described.

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Divisions (Phyla) of Algae

Prokaryotic Algae

Division Cyanophyta (cyanobacteria or blue-green

algae) not the first photosynthetic organisms, but ancient (3.5

billion years based on fossil record)

one organelle is present in the form of simple, flattened

vesicles called thylakoids (2 photosystems present) Chlorophyll a, phycobiliproteins; prochlorophytes are

related species that possess chlorophyll a, b, and (c)

Carbohydrate Reserve: Starch

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Single-celled to filamentous blue-

green alga or cyanobacterium

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Colonial Cyanobacterium

Gleocapsa

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Filamentous to semi-multicellular

Cyanobacterium Nostoc

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Filamentous Cyanobacterium

Oscillatoria

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Divisions of Eukaryotic Algae

Division Rhodophyta (red algae)

Division Chlorophyta (green algae)

Division Chromophyta (= Chrysophyta - golden

brown algae, yellow-green algae, diatoms; andPhaeophyta - the brown algae, for example, kelps)

Division Haptophyta

Division Dinophyta (= Pyrrophyta -

dinoflagellates)

Division Cryptophyta (cryptomonads)

Division Euglenophyta (Euglena spp.)

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Photosynthetic Pigments & Food Reserves

Rhodophyta Chlorophyll a;phycoerythrobilin

Starch (-1,4-linkedglucan)

Chlorophyta Chlorophylls a & b Starch

Chromophyta Chlorophylls a, c1, c2;

fucoxanthin

Chrysolaminarin or

laminarin (-1,3-linkedglucan)

Haptophyta Chlorophylls a, c1, c2;

fucoxanthin

Chrysolaminarin

(-1,3-linked glucan)

Dinophyta Chlorophylls a, c2;

peridinin

Starch

Cryptophyta Chlorophylls a, c2;

phycocyanobilin

Starch

Euglenophyta Chlorophylls a, b Paramylon (-1,3-

linked glucan)

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Unicellular Green Alga

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Conjugation Sexual

Reproduction

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Filamentous Green Alga

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Colonial Green Alga

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Desmid - Cosmarium

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Diatoms

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Dinoflagellate Algae

Cellulose-containing

armor plates that give

them a sculptedappearance

most species found in

salt-water

environments

common cause of red

tides - algal blooms

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Euglenoids

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Red Algae

Porphyra - nori use to

wrap uncooked fish &

other food items

Smithora naiadum - a

epiphyte on eel and surf

grass

Pikea robusta

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Brown algae

Fucus sp.Nereocystis luekeana

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Alaskan Kelp Forest

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Beneficial Aspects of Algae

Food for humans Food for invertebrates and fishes in mariculture

Animal feed

Soil fertilizers and conditioners in agriculture

Treatment of waste water

Diatomaceous earth (= diatoms)

Chalk deposits

Phycocolloids (agar, carrageenan from red algae; alginates

from brown algae)

Drugs

Model system for research

Phycobiliproteins for fluorescence microscopy

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Detrimental Aspects of Algae

Blooms of freshwater algae

Red tides and marine blooms

Toxins accumulated in food chains

Damage to cave paintings, frescoes, and other

works of art

Fouling of ships and other submerged surfaces Fouling of the shells of commercially important

bivalves

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Red tide bloom

Prorocentrum micans

bloom

Associated withHurricane Floyd,

which ended a dry

summer

surface of water slick

with this dinoflagellate 9-21-1999

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Algal Bloom: Before and After

9-23-1999 9-29-1999

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Red Tide

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Satellite Imagery of Red Tides

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Toxic Phytoplankton & Human poisoning

Paralytic shellfish poisoning - saxitoxin

Neurotxic shellfish poisoning - brevetoxin

Ciguatera fish poisoning - ciguatoxin and maitotoxin Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning - okadaic acid

Amnesic shellfish poisoning - domoic acid

Cyanobacterial neurotoxins - anatoxins

Cyanobacterial hepatotoxins - microcystin, nodularin Dermatitis - lyngbyatoxin, aplysiatoxin

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Bird Sudden Death Syndrome

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Bird Sudden Death Syndrome

DeGray Lake, Arkansas; Eagles migrate to area in October and stay

through March

Eagles eat fish, the American coot, and other prey items

Winter 1994-1995, 29 eagles were found dead or died of aneurological malady

Winter 1996-1997, pattern repeated itself, leaving 26 bald eagles dead

Die-off of eagles has been reported in North Carolina and Georgia

Coots have been reported to suffer similar symptoms and mortality

outbreaks

Why? No one knows? Algal toxins?