Autotrophs
Algae and plants in ecosystems
“Are blue-green algae phytoplankton?”Phylogenetic Functional
Functional:Plankton- freely floating , carried along bycurrents. Can be motile
e.g. Rooted aquatic plants are not planktonic
Microscopic algae can be planktonic, thosethat are comprise the PHYTOPLANKTON.Phytoplankton are important in reservoirsand in water column of large rivers.
Periphyton- Microscopic algae growing onsubstrate (solid surface)Epiphytes- microscopic algae growing onmacrophytes.Macrophytes- vascular (rooted) plants,mosses, liverworts, large colonial algal forms.Epilithon- layer of algae, bacteria, andmucilage covering substrate (rock surface).
KINGDOM- PHYLA- CLASS- ORDER
Procaryotes (bacteria)-Blue-green algae:a.k.a. cyanobacteria, cyanophytes
Eucaryotes (with organelles)Planktonic and benthic phyla:Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae)Green algae
a.k.a. chlorophytes, chlorophyceaeexample: Euglena sp.
Planktonic phyla:Chrysophytes, Dinoflagellates, Cryptophytes
Diatoms- have silica frustules
Patterns of valves:Planktonic- centric (radial)Benthic- Trellisoid (Eunotia)Gonoid (angular)Pennate (around center line)
Pennate diatoms have a RAPHE orPSEUDORAPHE:with raphe diatoms move by gliding on a mucilage trailTerms: Epitheca, Hypotheca, Valve, Connecting Band
SEM of valve of Pennate Diatom
Asterionela formosa - pennate planktonic chain forming diatom (Common Weed Spp)
Didymosphenia from Deer Creek - Benthic diatom from alpine Stream in Colorado
Pennate Diatom
Common marine pennate Diatom - Chaetocerous sp
(On the Right)Common marine pennate Diatom - Chaetocerous sp (on the left is a centric diatom)
Small Benthic diatom - Nitzschia palea
Colonial chlorophyte (planktonic)- Pediastrum spp.
Colonial chlorophyte (planktonic)
Colonial chlorophyte (planktonic)
Anabeana floa-aquae(planktonic)
Anabeana colony - with heterotrophic ciliates(clear) attached to the colony.
Anabeana colony - closeup
Anabeana cylindrica - with heterocysts (N2 fixation occurs in specialized cells)
Anabeana cylindrica - with akinetes(resting cells). Could be planktonic or benthic
Common benthic filamentous cyanobacteria Nostoc nuscorum - filaments packed in mucilage - occurs attached to rocks in flaps
Common benthic filamentous cyanobacteria Nostoc nuscorum - closeup
Freshwater dinoflagellate - planktonic Ceratium hirunindella
Freshwater dinoflagellate - planktonic Ceratium hirunindella
Freshwater dinoflagellate - Gonyalax spp
Stained dinoflagellate