Experiment 3A - Algae

Oscillatoria

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Ecological Importance:

• Plays a key role in the nitrogen cycle by fixing atmospheric nitrogen, enhancing soil fertility.

• Serves as a fundamental component of aquatic food chains, providing nourishment for small organisms in freshwater ecosystems.

Economical Importance:

• Some species produce harmful toxins that can affect fish and livestock, posing challenges for fisheries and agriculture.

• Beneficially used in wastewater treatment due to its ability to consume and reduce pollutants.

Cyanobacteria

Oscillatoria

Phylum: ?

Oscillatoria

Oscillatoria

Anabaena

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Ecological Importance:

• Anabaena is a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium that forms symbiotic relationships with plants like the water fern Azolla, enriching ecosystems.

Economical Importance:

• Used in rice paddies for its nitrogen-fixing abilities, promoting rice growth without chemical fertilizers.

• Can produce harmful toxins (e.g., anatoxin) during blooms, negatively impacting water quality and fisheries.

Cyanobacteria

Anabaena

Phylum: ?

Anabaena

Anabaena

Spirulina

Phylum: Cyanobacteria

Ecological Importance:

• Spirulina contributes to primary production in aquatic ecosystems, supporting aquatic food webs.

Economical Importance:

• Widely harvested and cultivated for human consumption due to its high protein content and nutrient richness (vitamins, minerals).

• Marketed as a superfood and used in health supplements.

• Has potential applications in animal feed and as a biofertilizer.

Cyanobacteria

Spirulina

Phylum: ?

Spirulina

Spirulina

Eudorina

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

Plays a vital role in aquatic ecosystems by producing oxygen and serving as a food source for various organisms.

Economical Importance:

It can be used as a feed source in aquaculture, supporting the growth of fish and other aquatic species, thereby enhancing productivity in the industry.

Chlorophyta

Eudorina

Phylum: ?

Eudorina

Eudorina

Chlamydomonas

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

Contributes to oxygen production and acts as a primary producer in aquatic ecosystems, supporting the food chain and aiding in nutrient cycling. 

Economical Importance: 

Chlamydomonas has economic importance in biofuel production due to its high lipid content, making it a potential renewable energy source.

Chlorophyta

Chlamydomonas

Phylum: ?

Chlamydomonas

Chlamydomonas

Pandorina

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological importance: 

It is cosmopolitan in fresh waters. Used in experimental ecology and water quality assessments.

Chlorophyta

Pandorina

Phylum: ?

Pandorina

Pandorina

Gonium

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance: Primary producers in freshwater ecosystems, provide food for zooplankton and other small organisms. They also contribute to oxygen production and nutrient cycling.

Economical Importance: Not directly economically significant, but they play a vital role in maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems.

Chlorophyta

Gonium

Phylum: ?

Gonium

Gonium

Cladophora

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance: Common in freshwater and marine environments, where they can form dense mats that can impact water quality and aquatic ecosystems. They can also be used as a bioindicator of water quality.

Economical Importance: It can be a nuisance in recreational areas, forming unsightly mats and affecting water clarity. However, it can also be used as a source of biofuel and for wastewater treatment.

Chlorophyta

Cladophora

Phylum: ?

Cladophora

Cladophora

Chara

Phylum: Charophyta

Ecological Importance: Important primary producers in freshwater ecosystems, provide food and habitat for aquatic invertebrates and fish. They also play a role in nutrient cycling and sediment stabilization.

Economical Importance: It is not directly economically significant, but it is important for maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems. It can also be used as a substrate for aquatic plants in aquariums and ponds.

Charophyta

Chara

Phylum: ?

Chara

Chara

Oedogonium

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

• Primary producers in aquatic ecosystems, contributing to oxygen production through photosynthesis.

• Form the base of many food chains, providing nutrients for aquatic organisms.

• Help with carbon sequestration, aiding climate regulation.

• Serve as bioindicators for assessing water quality and pollutants.

Economic Importance:

• Used in food additives like algal oils and spirulina, rich in proteins and fatty acids.

• Play a role in biofuel production as renewable energy sources.

• Utilized in wastewater treatment to remove excess nutrients and pollutants.

Chlorophyta

Oedogonium

Phylum: ?

Oedogonium

Oedogonium

Spirogyra

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

• Produces oxygen through photosynthesis and serves as a primary food source in freshwater ecosystems.

• Provides habitat and shelter for small organisms.

• Regulates nutrient levels by absorbing excess nitrogen and phosphorus, preventing eutrophication.

• Aids in water filtration and acts as a bioindicator of water health by signaling nutrient pollution through overgrowth.

Economic Importance:

• Potential source of biofuel due to high biomass yield.

• Helps in wastewater treatment by absorbing excess nutrients.

• Provides natural feed for herbivorous fish in aquaculture.

• Used as an organic fertilizer to improve soil fertility, contributing to sustainable farming and environmental management.

Chlorophyta

Spirogyra

Phylum: ?

Spirogyra

Spirogyra

Zygnema

Phylum: Charophyta

Ecological Importance:

• Acts as a primary producer in freshwater ecosystems, providing oxygen and forming the base of the aquatic food web.

• Aids in nutrient cycling by absorbing excess nitrogen and phosphorus, thus reducing water pollution.

Economic Importance:

• Used as a bioindicator for assessing water quality.

• Has potential applications in wastewater treatment by absorbing pollutants.

• Valuable for scientific research with applications in biotechnology, biofuel production, and environmental management.

Charophyta

Zygnema

Phylum: ?

Zygnema

Zygnema

Vaucheria

Phylum: Ochrophyta

Plays significant role in aquatic ecosystems, contributing to oxygen production through photosynthesis.

Helps in nutrient cycling by absorbing nutrients from water and sediment.

Ochrophyta

Vaucheria

Phylum: ?

Vaucheria

Vaucheria

Ulothrix

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological: Contributes to the production or conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen through photosynthesis.

Medical: Research have found it has antifungal properties especially against Aspergillus niger (can cause pneumonia)

Chlorophyta

Ulothrix

Phylum: ?

Ulothrix

Ulothrix

Desmids

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Play a vital role in freshwater ecosystems as primary producers.

Chlorophyta

Desmids

Phylum: ?

Desmids

Desmids

Pediastrum

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

• contributes significantly to primary production in freshwater environments.

• produces oxygen, which is essential for the survival of aerobic organisms in aquatic ecosystems

• plays a role in nutrient cycling by absorbing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from the water.

Economical Importance:

• has potential in biofuel production. Its high lipid content makes it suitable for producing biodiesel.

• used as a feed for aquaculture, particularly for fish and crustaceans, due to its high nutritional value.

• has applications in bioremediation by helping to clean up wastewater

Chlorophyta

Pediastrum

Phylum: ?

Pediastrum

Pediastrum

Scenedesmus

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

• contributes significantly to primary production in freshwater environments.

• produces oxygen, which is essential for the survival of aerobic organisms in aquatic ecosystems

• plays a role in nutrient cycling by absorbing nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from the water.

Economical Importance:

• has potential in biofuel production. Its high lipid content makes it suitable for producing biodiesel.

• used as a feed for aquaculture, particularly for fish and crustaceans, due to its high nutritional value.

• has applications in bioremediation by helping to clean up wastewater.

Chlorophyta

Scenedesmus

Phylum: ?

Scenedesmus

Scenedesmus

Closterium

Phylum: Chlorophyta

Ecological Importance:

• Like other green algae, it plays a key role in aquatic ecosystems as a primary producer.

• As a photosynthetic organism, it releases oxygen into the water, contributing to the oxygen supply in freshwater ecosystems,

• It can be used as a bioindicator of water quality, particularly in freshwater habitats. Its presence or absence, as well as its abundance, can reflect changes in nutrient levels, pH, or pollution, providing insights into the health of aquatic ecosystems.

Economical Importance:

• As a bioindicator, its role in detecting pollution and nutrient imbalances can help in the management of water resources.

• It is being investigated for their potential as biofertilizers.

Chlorophyta

Closterium

Phylum: ?

Closterium

Closterium