Dr. Mohamed Jawad Al-Haidarey

Lectures, required reading :
• Linda E Graham & Lee W Wilcox (2000)
Algae , Prentice-Hall.
• Marty Kelly & Richard Telford (2007)
Common fresh water diatoms of Britain and
Ireland.
• Janet R stein (1975) Hand book of phcological methods, culture methods, and
• growth measurements.
ملع ) 2007 ( ناميلس سيردا
بلاحطلا
• بلاحطلا
ةيرحبلا
ةمدقم
بلاحطلاو
) 1979 (
تانشلاا
لاضن
نايا
)
، سروم
1985 ( ءافو
و
،
يلع
يدادغب
نيسح ،يدعسلا

 Regular attendance of lectures and lab classes is expected.
It is further expected that students show up in time. For both the lecture and the lab classes, the student who comes late most will have to bring doughnuts or some food for the next lecture

.

 · Introduction to phycology
 · Basics of algal biology
 · Reproduction in algae
 · The role of algae in biogeochemistry
 · Algae in biological associations
 · The role of algae in aquatic food webs
 · Taxonomy and Systematics of Algae
 · Phytoplankton size in ecology
 · The physical environment: temperature, light, turbulence
 · Growth of phytoplankton
 · Losses of phytoplankton
 · Swimming and bouyancy
 · Cyanobacteria
 · The origin of eukaryotic algae
 · Euglenophytes
· Cryptophytes
· Prymensiophytes (Haptophytes)
· Dinophytes (Dinoflagellates)
· Introduction to the Ochrophytes
·
Diatoms
· Raphidophytes and Chrysophyceans
· Synurophyceans, silicoflagellates, pedinelids, tribophyceans
· Phaeophytes (Brown algae)
· Rhodophytes (Red algae)
· Introduction to the Green algae
· Prasinophyceans
· Ulvophyceans
· Trebouxiophyceans
· Chlorophyceans
· Charophyceans
· Ecology of macroalgae and periphyton

INTRODUCTION TO ALGAL
CHARACTERISTICS AND
DIVERSITY
PHYCOLOGY=STUDY OF ALGAE
Phycology is the science (gr. logos) of algae (gr. phycos). This discipline deals with the morphology, taxonomy, phylogeny, biology, and ecology of algae in all ecosystems

 3.5 billion yrs ago
 Cyanobacteria —first algae
 Prokaryotes —lack membrane bound organelles
 Later eukaryotes evolved — mitochondria, chloroplasts, and chromosomes containing DNA.

Where are algae abound
 Kelp forest up to 50 m height are the marine equivalent to terrestrial forest; mainly built by brown algae.
 Some algae encrust with carbonate, building reeflike structures;
Cyanobacteria can from rock-like structures in warm tidal areas: stromatolites.

Where are algae abound

 How are algae similar to higher plants?
 How are algae different from higher plants?

 Presence of cell wall —mostly cellulosic.
 Autotrophs/Primary producers — carry out photosynthesis
 Presence of chlorophyll a

 Algae lack the roots, stems, leaves, and other structures typical of true plants.
 Algae do not have vascular tissues —non vascular plants
 Algae do not form embryos within protective coverings —all cells are fertile.
 Variations in pigments.
 Variations in cell structure —unicellular, colonial and multicellular forms.

 Prokaryote algal cell
Prokaryotes
---No nuclear region and complex organelles — chloroplasts, mitochondria, golgi bodies, and endoplasmic reticula.
-- Cyanobacteria. Chlorophylls are on internal membranes of flattened vesicles called thylakoids-contain photosynthetic pigments.
Phycobiliproteins occur in granular structures called phycobilisomes.
Source: http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/webb/BOT311/Cyanobacteria/Cyanobacteria.htm

 Eukaryotes
---Distinct chlorplast, nuclear region and complex organelles.
--- Thylakoids are grouped into grana pyrenoids are centers of carbon dioxide fixation within the chloroplasts of algae and hornworts .
Pyrenoids are not membrane -bound organelles , but specialized areas of the plastid that contain high levels of ribulose-1,5bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase granum with a
Stack of thylakoids pyrenoid

 BODY OF AN
ALGA=THALLUS
 DIVERSITY IN
MORPHOLOGY
----MICROSCOPIC
Unicellular, Colonial and Filamentous forms.
Source: http://images.google.com/images

 Flagella=organs of locomotion.
 Chloroplast=site of photosynthesis. Thylakoids are present in the chloroplast.
The pigments are present in the thylakoids.
 Pyrenoid-structure associated with chloroplast. Contains ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate
Carboxylase, proteins and carbohydrates.
 Eye-spot=part of chloroplast.
Directs the cell towards light.
Source: A Biology of the Algae
By Philip Sze, third edition, WCB MCGraw-Hill

MACROALGAE
Photos are by Dr. Mitra’s Research Group. These pictures are not to be used for any purpose without Dr.
Mitra’s approval.

 Chlorophylls (green)
 Carotenoids (brown, yellow or red)
 Phycobilins (red pigment-phycoerythrin blue pigment –phycocyanin)

Vegetative
Cell divisions/Fragmentation
=part of the filament breaks off from the rest and forms a new one.
Sexual-
Gametes
Asexual Reproduction
Zoospores after losing their flagella, form new filaments. No sexual fusion.

 ISOGAMY -Both gametes have flagella and similar in size and morphology.
 ANISOGAMY -Gametes have flagella but are dissimilar in shape and size. One gamete is distinctly smaller than the other one.
 OOGAMY -gamete with flagella (sperm) fuses with a larger, non flagellated gamete (egg).

 LAND---WATER
 FRESH WATER---MARINE HABITATS
 FLOATING (PLANKTONIC) —BENTHIC
(BOTTOM DWELLERS)
 EPIPHYTES