Multicellular Primary ProducersSeaweed, marine plants, seagrasses,

salt marsh plants, mangroves

What is seaweed?

• Are Seaweeds plants?

• No they are algae. Algae is a protist

What is algae?• Algae are photosynthetic, like

plants.• Algae are"simple" because

their tissues are not organized into the many distinct types found in land plants.

• Algae is either micro algae or macro algae

• Macro algae is called “seaweed”

Macro algae

Micro algae

Macro algae

Micro algae

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Structure of Seaweed

• Thallus• Lacks vascular tissue, roots, stems, leaves• Frond, or blade• Holdfast, NOT ROOTS• Stipe• Gas bladders

• importance of algae

Importance of Algae• 70% of foods, beverages, cosmetics, personal

care, pet care, etc... items in an average shoppers cart have algae ingredients. Yummy……….

• The cell wall of algae provides carrageenan:Thickening agent used in our products:

spirulena as a food

Algae good for people?????

Macroalgae “Seaweeds”

3 types of seaweed• Red• Brown• Green

• Based on light capturing pigments: Red and Brown algae can thrive in deeper waters.

Algae is not always good for you• Long Island toxic algae

• shellfish closing now

open• Moviemaker Alfred

Hitchcock appears to have drawn some inspiration for one of his classic thrillers, "The Birds," with the help of toxin-producing algae.

Reproduction of AlgaeAsexual

Sexual: Reproduce through__________

Name that algae,Red, Green, Brown?

Micro or Macro?

Name that algae,Red, Green, Brown?

Micro or Macro?

Name that AlgaeRed, Green, Brown?

Micro or Macro?r

Background is a kelp forest

Name that AlgaeRed, Green, Brown?

Micro or Macro?

What Criteria did you use to classify algae

Importance of Algae Take 5 minutes look through your

notes: Class work• 1. 9.• 2. 10.• 3. 11.• 4. 12.• 5. 13.• 6. 14.• 7. 15.• 8. 16.

Marine Flowering Plants/different Algae

• General characteristics they are just like land plants (angiosperms) they have:– Vascular tissue– Roots, stems, leaves– Seeds and fruitsExamples– Seagrass beds– Salt marshes– Mangrove forests

Mangrove forest in Florida Keyes

Seagrasses• Maintain water clarity, trapping

sediments with leaves.• They stabilize the bottom with their

roots • They provide shelter for fish,

shellfish.• manatees, urchins, conches and sea

turtles, eat seagrass blades..

Eel Grass beds on Long Island

Salt Marsh Plants• Marsh Plants

– Spartina alterniflora– Main marsh plant found On LI estuaries.– 60% to 80 % of the commercial marine fisheries

resources depend on estuaries for part of or all of their life cycle.

– http://life.bio.sunysb.edu/marinebio/spartina.html

How does the water travel on Long Island? What is the importance of

salt marshes?

• http://vimeo.com/2233233

Salt Marsh Plants• Once destroyed on Long

Island as “waste” property to develop and build homes; now they are preserved. Why?

Cedar Beach, Miller Place

Stony BrookLong Island, Note preserved and Unpreserved land

Forests of the Tide• At the intersection of land and sea, mangrove

forests support a wealth of life, from starfish to people, and may be more important to the health of the planet than we ever realized.

Mangrovevideo on mangroves