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Green Algae

Green Algae

Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...

Other Algae

Other Algae

The group Stramenopiles include some phototrophic microorganisms. Members of this group possess flagella covered in numerous short, hairlike extensions, a feature that inspired the group's name, derived from the Latin words for "straw" and "hair." Some of the main categories of Stramenopiles include diatoms, golden algae, and brown algae.Diatoms are unicellular, photosynthetic eukaryotes, with over 200 known genera. They play a key role in the planktonic communities of both marine and...

Overview of Algae

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The kingdom Archaeplastida encompasses red and green algae, along with land plants. Unlike other protists with chloroplasts that arose through secondary endosymbiosis, only red and green algae originated from primary endosymbiotic events. This diverse group of eukaryotic organisms contains chlorophyll and performs oxygenic photosynthesis.Algae exist in various forms, from large brown kelp in coastal waters to green scum in puddles and stains on rocks or soil. Some species are responsible for...

Red Algae

Red Algae

Red algae, also known as rhodophytes, are primarily found in marine environments, though some species inhabit freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. These organisms exist in both unicellular and multicellular forms, with some multicellular varieties reaching macroscopic sizes.As phototrophic organisms, red algae contain chlorophyll a; however, their chloroplasts lack chlorophyll b. Instead, they possess phycobiliproteins, which serve as major light-harvesting pigments, similar to those found in...

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Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...

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Author Spotlight: Optimized Transformation Protocol for Chlorella vulgaris Using Agrobacterium tumefaciens

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Colonial green algae in the Cambrian plankton.

Thomas H P Harvey¹

¹Centre for Palaeobiology and Biosphere Evolution, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|October 25, 2023

Summary

New Cambrian microfossils reveal early green algae phytoplankton formed colonies, challenging previous assumptions about ancient marine ecosystems and their evolution.

Keywords:

Cambrian Cambrian explosion algae colonial phytoplankton plankton

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Area of Science:

Paleontology
Marine Biology
Microbiology

Background:

The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition saw major marine ecosystem changes, but Cambrian phytoplankton diversity and roles remain unclear.
Understanding phytoplankton evolution is key to deciphering early animal ecosystem dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the diversity, affinities, and ecologies of poorly understood Cambrian phytoplankton.
To explore the role of animal interactions and diversification drivers in ancient marine environments.

Main Methods:

Analysis of exceptionally preserved acritarchs (organic-walled microfossils) from the late early Cambrian (approx. 510 Ma).
Microscopic examination of colonial organization, cell arrangement, size variation, ornamentation, and intercell connections.

Main Results:

Discovery of acritarchs exhibiting colonial organization with interconnected cells in rings and plates.
Interpretation of fossils as representing determinate (coenobial) colony formation, a strategy previously known only in green algae (chlorophytes).
Evidence suggests a convergent radiation of marine green algal phytoplankton, distinct from modern freshwater forms.

Conclusions:

Cambrian phytoplankton, including acritarchs, were not exclusively unicellular resting cysts.
The findings support the early Paleozoic prominence of green algal phytoplankton, aligning with molecular biomarker predictions.
Colonial phytoplankton likely adapted to increased grazing pressure from invading Cambrian metazoans.