1.

0 INTRODUCTION
Objectives of this experiment are to define phytoplankton, phyt,
phycobilin, agar, fucoxanthin, align, kelp, gametangium, oogania,
antheridia, to recognize selected member of the red, brown and green
algae, stonewarts and brittleworts, to distinguish between structures
associated with asexual and sexual reproduction. Lastly, to identify the
structures of the algae.
Algae are photosynthetic creatures. They are neither plant, animal
or fungi. Many algae are single celled, however some species are
multicellular. Many, but not all of red and brown algae are multicellular.
Red and brown algae are common in marine environments. Some green
algae are multicellular.(www.mbgnet.net, 2013).
Phytoplankton growth depends on the availability of carbon
dioxide, sunlight, and nutrients. Phytoplankton, like land plants, require
nutrients such as nitrate, phosphate, silicate, and calcium at various levels
depending on the species. Some phytoplankton can fix nitrogen and can
grow in areas where nitrate concentrations are low. They also require trace
amounts of iron which limits phytoplankton growth in large areas of the
ocean because iron concentrations are very low. Other factors influence
phytoplankton growth rates, including water temperature and salinity,
water depth, wind, and what kinds of predators are grazing on them.
(Rebecca Lindsey and Michon Scott, 2010).
The red algae belong to the Archaeplastida (also known as
Primoplantae), a major line of eukaryotes that also contains glaucophytes,
green algae and all the land plants. Just like all the other members of this
line, red algae are equipped with plastids surrounded by two membranes.

A majority of the known red algae species are multicellular and live in the
ocean. You can for instance find a lot of well known sea weeds in this
group. A lot of the coralline algae, famous for secreting calcium carbonate
and therefore being of imperative importance for the building of coral
reefs, are also a part of the red algae group. Only about 200 species of red
algae occur in freshwater. Red algae are red because they contain pigments
called phycoerythrins which absorbs blue light and reflects red light. This
makes it possible for red algae to carry out photosynthesis in
comparatively deep waters, because blue light penetrates deeper than
lights of longer wavelengths, such as red light. Some red algae only
contain a very small amount of phycoerythrins and such species can look
green or bluish rather than red. (www.aquaticcommunity.com, 2008). The
Phaeophyceae or brown algae, is a large group of mostly marine
multicellular algae, including many seaweeds of colder Northern
Hemisphere waters. They play an important role in marine environments,
both as food and for the habitats they form.(www.encyclopedia.com,
2013). The "green algae" is the most diverse group of algae, with more
than 7000 species growing in a variety of habitats. The "green algae" is
a paraphyletic group because it excludes the Plantae. Like the plants, the
green algae contain two forms of chlorophyll, which they use to capture
light energy to fuel the manufacture of sugars, but unlike plants they are
primarily aquatic. Because they are aquatic and manufacture their own
food, these organisms are called "algae," . (www.ucmp.berkeley.edu, n.d)

2.0 MATERIALS
2.1 Compound Microscope
2.2 Prepared slide

3.0 PROCEDURE
3.1 The prepared slides were examined using the high dry objectives.
3.2 The organisms specific structures were identified.
3.3 The macroscopic appearances of the organisms observed under the
light microscope was drawn and labelled.

4.0 RESULTS

40 X magnification of

40X magnification of

Chlamydomonas (B38)

Euglena (Z240)

100 X magnification of
Euglena (Z240)

40 X magnification of Fucus female

(B91)

40 X magnification of
Fucus male (B90)

40 X magnification of
Oedogonium macandrous (B54)

10 X magnification of
Spyrongyra lateral (B64)

40 X magnification of
Volvox (B73)

5.0 DISCUSSION

6.0 PRE-LAB QUESTIONS

6.1 Describe the unique structure of euglenoids?
Euglenoids is both heterotrophic (need to consume food) and
autotrophic (able to produce own food). Chloroplast that present in
euglena traps light for photosynthesis. Flagella that present in
euglena make it motile when it is in heterotrophic mood.
6.2 Describe the structure of diatoms and dinoflagellates. What is red
tide?
Diatoms cells are encased in transparent glass-like (silica)
container called a frustule that resembles a petri-dish. The
overlapping valve is called an epitheca and the lower valve is a
hypotheca. Dinoflagellates has two flagella, one (the transverse
flagellum) may be contained in a groove-like structure around the
equator of the organism (the cingulum), providing forward motion
and spin to the dinoflagellate, the other (the longitudinal flagellum)
trailing behind providing little propulsive force, mainly acting as a
rudder. Red tide is a common name for a phenomenon known as
an algal bloom (large concentrations of aquatic microorganisms)
when it is caused by a few species of dinoflagellates and the bloom
takes on a red or brown colour.

6.3 Describe the structure red and brown algae. Discuss their economic
importance.
Some red algae are of economic importance. Agar, which is used as
a nutrient medium for growing bacteria and fungi and also in the
food and drug industries, is obtained mostly from Gelidium and
Gracilaria species. Carrageenin, obtained from Irish moss
(Chondrus crispus), is used as a substitute for gelatin. Laver
(Porphyra) is used as a food in Japan and the Philippines. The use
of brown algae as food is very old. However, it plays a small role in
the daily live in Western Europe: only the young, fresh stacks of
Laminaria saccharina and Alaria esculenta are eaten. However in
Eastern Asia, Kombu is an important food. Laminaria japonica,
Alaria crassifolia are used as green Kombu, eaten like any other
vegetables or used pulverised as soup or spice. Tea can also be
prepared. The dried up stocks can be easily harvested at low tide.
They serve as fertilisers or, converted to alga flour in factories, can
be used as vitamin and in addition to animal food.
6.4 Describe the structure of Chlamydomonas and Volvox ; contrast
how they reproduce.
Chlamydomonas are single-celled organism with 2 apical flagella
which are absorbed before cell division. Volvox is multicellular
organisms that have 2 cell types. They are composed of about 2000
somatic cells that resemble Chlamydomonas and form a spherical
shell that also moves the organism using the flagella. Inside the
shell resides gonidia which can divide to form a new organism.

Also, the somatic cells that resemble Chlamydomonas cannot

divide like Chlamydomonas, thus the importance of the gonidia.
6.5 Describe the structure of Spirogyra and Oedogonium; contrast how
they reproduced.
Oedogonium (right) is the most advanced of the filamentous
Chlorophyceae. Its cell division is unique with cellulose rings at the
anterior end of vegetative cells. These rings are remnants of broken
parietal cell walls. They reproduce sexually and asexually through
a process of fragmentation. Asexual vegetative cells are able to
generate zoospores from the protoplasm while motile reproductive
cells produce gametes and reproduce in the typical sexual manner.
Spirogyra has internally a helical structure which is actually spiral
bands of chloroplasts. Spirogyra does not produce swimming
gametes. However, during reproduction, filaments form from the
opposite mating organisms (+ or -) as they lie adjacent to one
another. The connection is called a conjugation pilus.
6.6 Describe the structure of Ulva and explain how its life cycle differs
from that of plants.
Ulva or sea lettuce is a "seaweed" or green alga that has little tissue
differentiation. There is a flat thallus with a hold fast attaching the
thallus to the substrate. It has both a gametophyte stage and a
sporophyte stage that look identical. The gametophyte stage
produces eggs and sperm which fuse to form a diploid zygote. The
zygote grows into the sporophyte stage that forms haploid spores
by meiosis. The spores germinate to produce a new gametophyte
stage. Ulva is harvested and consumed in some cultures.

7.0 CONCLUSIONS

8.0 REFERENCES

Chrysophyta.

Retrieved

on

12th

February

2013

from

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Chrysophyta

Phase 3 Kingdom Protista Information. Retrieved on 12th February 2013

from http://pangea.tec.selu.edu/~cmcnabb/etec645/protist2.html

Chlorophyta.

Retrieved

on

12th

February

2013

from

2013

from

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Chlorophyta

Rhodophyta.

Retrieved

on

12th

February

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Rhodophyta

Jennifer Kennedy. Brown Algae (Phaeophyta). Retrieved on 13th February

2013 from http://marinelife.about.com/od/plants/p/brownalgae.htm

9.0 APPENDICES
Figure

Name, lens power

40 X magnification of Chlamydomonas (B38)

Figure 9.1

40 X magnification of Euglena (Z240)

Figure 9.2

100 X magnification of Euglena (Z240)

Figure 9.3

10 X magnification of Euglena (B81)

Figure 9.4

40 X magnification of Euglena (B81)

Figure 9.5

40 X magnification of Fucus (B90)

Figure 9.6

40 X magnification of Fucus edge side (B91)

Figure 9.7

40 X magnification of Fucus middle side

(B91)

Figure 9.8

10

magnification

of

Oedogonium

of

Oedogonium

macandrous (B54)

Figure 9.9

40

magnification

macandrous (B54)

Figure 9.10

10 X magnification of Spyrongyra lateral

(B64)

Figure 9.12

100 X magnification of Spyrongyra lateral

(B64)

Figure 9.13

4 X magnification of Volvox (B73)

Figure 9.14

40 X magnification of Volvox (B73)

Figure 9.15