Topic 13: Green Algae

Question 1

• In what type of environments can you find Green Algae?

Answer 1

Nearshore marine environments

Freshwater ponds

Rocky shorelines of eutrophic lakes and streams

Terrestrial surfaces (rocks, wood, mud)

Snow

Symbiotic (corals, lichens, anemones)

Question 2

• Describe a Chlamydomonas cell.

Answer 2

This is a biflagellate unicell

Can respond to light stimuli

Question 3

• Name one unique characteristic of Green Algae.

Answer 3

Starch inside chloroplast (in stroma)

Question 4

• What body types are found in this group?

Answer 4

They can be:
Unicells
Colonies
Large bodied coecocytes
Filaments
Blades

Question 5

• What are the different kinds of cell coverings present in Green Algae

Answer 5

Naked
Cellulose wall (Chlamydomonas has glycoprotein)
Scales
Some are calcified (Halimeda CaCO3)

Question 6

• Are there intercellular connections in some Green Algae? What are they called

Answer 6

Yes there are they have plasmodesmata
This intercellular pores that allow for cytoplasmic streaming

Question 7

• Using a labeled diagram, describe the zygotic life cyle of Chlamydomonas

Question 8

• Using a labeled diagram, describe the sporic life cycle of Ulva.

Question 9

• Can Green Algae be found in symbiotic relationships? Provide two examples

Answer 9

Yes they form symbiotic relationships with:
Lichens
Anemones
Sea slugs

Question 10

• What are the differences between Chlorophytes and Streptophytes?

Answer 10

Chlorophytes can be found in marine, fresh or terrestrial but Streptophytes cannot be found in marine

Closed mitosis in Chlorophytes and open in Streptophytes

Streptophytes are more closely related to land plants

Question 11

• Briefly provide characteristics of each one of the five major groups within green algae

Answer 11

Prasinophytes:
Earliest diverging
No unique characters
marine

Trebouxiophyceae:
FW and terrestrial
Large diversity
Oils and lipids for floatation
Lichens

Ulvophyceae:
Marine
Larges most conspicuous greens
Some calcified

Chlorophyceae:
FW and terrestrial
Explosive growth
Decay resistant hydrocarbon polymers

Streptophyte:
FW and terrestrial
Most closely related to land plants
Cell walls rich in distinctive cellulose
Many land plant characters