User:Mvaine/sandbox

Marine botany is the study of aquatic plants and algae that live in seawater of the open ocean and the littoral zone, along shorelines of the intertidal zone, and in brackish water of estuaries. Studying these algae and marine plants lead botanists to discover that all land plants came from the ocean?????

When researching the marine plants these botanists may take salinity, light penetration, pollution, etc. into account.

High salinity?

Light received affects the color of plants

Pollution?

ALGAE seaweed = plant-like algae

When you think of plants in the ocean you think of seaweed; however, seaweed is actually different species of algae. Recently with the help of powerful microscopes scientist have been able to discover that algae aren’t true plants due to a number of reasons: lack specialized plant tissues ( such as roots, leaves, and stems ), their cells aren’t always made of cellulose, have a larger variety of photosynthetic pigments, reproduce differently. Although all species of algae aren’t true plants, they are included in the study of marine plants. There are six main types of algae groups: Euglenophyta, red, green, golden, fire, and brown algae. Algae that grows afloat or draped in the water is called planktonic algae. Benthic algae grow anchored to the sea bed and those that grow on top of the surface of the water is called neustonic algae.

Algae plays a very important role in the ocean biome because they are the basis of the aquatic food web. Algae produces 30-50% of the oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere. They have also produced a vast amount of the fossil fuel deposits.

What % of the plant life in ocean is algae ????

Importance of algae

MANGROVES

Mangroves are small shrub-like plants that can tolerate higher salinity and are restricted to tropical and subtropical regions. There are around 60 species of these plants that live in the brackish waters. Along with tolerating the higher salinity, they can survive in mud with low oxygen levels. Their shallow, aerial roots allow the mangroves to tolerate the low oxygen levels. These vertical roots are exposed when not covered by the water.

SALT MARSHES

SEA GRASSES***

CORAL REEFS

Coral reefs are often mistaken as rocks or plants; however, they are actually a large number of small organisms called polyps. These small polyps come together to form the large coral structures. The coral reefs are important to marine botanists because within the coral polyps tissues a photosynthetic alga, zooxanthellae, resides. The coral polyps would not be able to survive without the algae. They have a mutualistic relationship, the algae are provided with shelter and the coral in return receives the oxygen and nutrients that the algae produce. The living part of the coral reefs is almost always found within around 65 feet of the surface of the water so the algae receive enough sunlight for photosynthesis to occur. Along with the coral polyps the algae also produce their own calcium carbonate shells. This occurrence helps the living coral stay attached to the skeletons of the dead coral below them.