Phycology

Phycology is the scientific study of algae, organisms that consists of a large group of plant life usually found in water. The word phycology comes from the Greek words pykos, meaning “seaweed,” and the suffix -ology meaning “a subject of study.” Some references also use the terms phycology and algology interchangeably, calling a person who studies algae an algologist. However, the scientifically correct term is phycology as algology is a specialized branch of botany that studies algae. A phycologist will usually focus on the study of either freshwater or marine algae, and either soft or diatomic algae—algae that have cell walls made of silica.

The diversity of species of algae allows for a variety of study within the field of phycology. There are thousands, or according to some estimates, even millions, of species of algae to be researched. These organisms can range in size from microscopic phytoplankton to large sea kelp that cover patches of the ocean from floor to surface. By studying algae, phycologists can learn much about ecology, effects of pollution or climate change, and even find innovative and practical uses for algae that can provide a sustainable resource for a variety of industries.

Background

Although interest in the study of algae dates back to the beginnings of the study of botany, the use of technology and scientific methods encouraged focused research into algae in the nineteenth century. Several biologists are known as fathers of phycology, as it became a recognized field of life science study during this period. By the late nineteenth century, Irish scientist William Henry Harvey was well-known in the field as an authority on algae. He was able to create groupings of algae and divided them into four different divisions based on pigmentation. His works, Phycologia Britannica and Phycologia Australica, became important texts among the early published works pertaining to phycology.

German botanist and pharmacist Friedrich Traugott Kutzing also contributed to the scientific study of algae. He is known for distinguishing between silica structured diatoms and dual-celled desmids in algae species. He published a definitive work about algae, Species Algarum, that described about six-thousand different algae species.

British professor F.E. Fritsch was also well-known for his work on the subjects. His works include The Structure and Reproduction of the Algae and a detailed revision of British Freshwater Algae, which was originally written by G.S. West. Starting in 1912, he took illustrations of freshwater algae from published scientific papers and either traced them or cut them out. He then gathered them into a collection, which eventually grew to twenty-thousand illustrations. This collection was continued on by his research students. As a result, the Fritsch Collection of Illustrations of Freshwater Algae contains several million algae illustrations. He also supported the creation of a freshwater biological station to study algae in the 1930s and was a founding member of the British Freshwater Biological Association (FBA). He was also instrumental in his involvement in the Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa, which was started by researcher E. G. Pringsheim and became an important part of marine science research in the United Kingdom.

Overview

Phycology remains a closely studied biological subject because algae is considered a vital component of the ecosystem. These organisms belong to a polyphyletic group, meaning they contain a large and varied number of species that are not closely related. Algae are considered to be primary producers or autotrophs. It is thought that algae are responsible for nearly half of the earth’s photosynthetic production of organic material. This means that the large numbers of the various species of algae use photosynthesis to convert energy into organic substances, such as oxygen. However, it should be noted that certain small percentage of species of algae do not receive nutrition from photosynthesis. These species are heterotrophic, and they get nutrition from external organic material.

Although algae do have cell walls made of cellulose and contain chlorophyll, which is the green pigment that allows for photosynthesis, algae are different from vascular plants. They do not have true leaves, stems, or roots. They also do not produce flowers for reproduction. Larger species have leaf and stem-like structures that function similarly, but these features are structurally different from plants.

While most species of algae are aquatic and found in either fresh or salt water, some do live on land. Green algae may be found near moisture-rich areas of soil, rock, or trees. Lichen also has been found to form a symbiotic relationship with land-dwelling green algae and fungi. This is a living arrangement in which all organisms benefit from each other.

Most types of algae are microscopic and are single-celled, which makes magnification necessary to see them. Single or micro multi-cell species often join together in colonies or string-like filaments, which in large numbers allows these tiny species to become visible. Algae may be non-motile or able to move on their own using flagellation. Multi-cell forms may even have complex body structures that differentiate according to function, which resemble organs. The cell wall of algae contains pectin, which is responsible for the slippery feel.

Algae are eukaryotes, which means their cells have a distinct nucleus contained in a membrane. Although cyanobacteria, which is also known as blue-green algae, are prokaryotic, which these do not have a distinct nucleus. For this reason, some phycologists do not consider cyanobacteria as a species of algae but bacteria, while other authorities do consider them as a species of algae.

Algae are classified into major groups according to their pigmentation, which gives them color. All algae contain greenish chlorophyll pigment, but some types have additional pigments that cause different coloration. Green algae contains green chlorophyll pigments but no additional pigmentation compounds. Red algae get a rusty color from pigments such as phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, or allophycocyanin. Brown algae have a brownish-hue from pigments such as fucoxanthin. Golden algae contain fucoxanthin too, but they are lighter and more yellowish in color and usually have specialized flagella. Blue-green algae, if being considered as algae, get their signature color from the addition of phycobiliproteins.

Phytoplankton are a type of microscopic algae and are an important part of the base of the global food chain, making up a large percentage of life found in oceans. They usually float near the surface, collecting sunlight and nutrients as they release oxygen. A wide variety of sea life, such as shrimp and small fish, depends on them for food. These in turn become food for larger animals, even humans.

Colonies of micro algae, such as phytoplankton, that grow quickly into visible layers are known as blooms. This can happen in both fresh and saltwater and is usually the result of a slight change in the environment. This can be due to a change in water temperature, an increase in sunlight, or an increase in available nutrients. Algae blooms are often harmful because they limit the food available to other aquatic life, produce toxins, or can cause a thick layer that clogs the waterway. A bloom of algae can alert a phycologist to pollutants, effects of climate change or other subtle changes in the ecosystem that may otherwise go unnoticed.

Larger types of algae are multicellular and can grow to greater sizes, even creating lush oceanic forests. They can be filamentous or have leaf-like structures that resemble vascular plants. Seaweed, which is a name for any large species of marine algae, can be found throughout the world. It contains pneumatocysts, or pockets that hold air. These allow the algae to grow upright in the water and reach sunlight necessary for photosynthesis. Seaweed can be found with various pigmentation. It can be red like the leafy dulse species, green like sea lettuce, or brown like kelp.

Phycology is important in commercial industries. Algae can be a direct food source for humans. In some areas, people eat the larger species of algae, such as kelp and other types of seaweed. Seaweed is rich in vitamins and minerals and a staple of many diets. Algae can also be used to produce consumable products such as health supplements, iodine, carrageenan, and alginic acid. Industrial uses for algae include the production of potash, soap, scientific agar, glass, insulation, bricks, cleaning powders, and filters. Wastewater recycling centers can also use algae to clean the water without the use of harmful chemicals.

Bibliography

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