Chapter 5Marine Prokaryotes, Protists,
Fungi and Plants
All are primary producers which are capable of using light energy to perform
photosynthesis
Kingdom Monera (Bacteria)
• Prokaryotic, single-celled• 3 types of bacteria
–Heterotrophic–Photosynthetic –Chemosynthetic
Heterotrophic bacteria
• Obtain energy from other organisms• Decomposers = decay bacteria• Recycle essential nutrients
Autotrophic bacteria
• Make their own organic compounds
1. Photosynthetic
2. Chemosynthetic: release energy from chemical compounds such as H2S & CH4
Cyanobacteria
• Blue-green algae, primitive plant-like bacteria
• Phylum Cyanobacteria
• First photosynthetic organisms on earth
Stromatolites• Calcareous (fossil) mounds formed by
blue-green algae 3 b.y.a.
Red tides
• Some are caused by cyanobacteria– Cause rashes on swimmers
Kingdom Protista
• Algae - aquatic, photosynthetic organisms
• Eukaryotic• Single and multi-
cellular
DiatomsKingdom Protista
Phylum Chrysophyta
• Unicellular• Silica (glass) cell walls• Important Primary producers• Diatomaceous earth :
– Filters for swimming pools– Temperature and sound insulators– Abrasives (toothpaste)
Blooms
• Period of rapid diatom or dinoflagellate reproduction
DinoflagellatesKingdom Protista
Phylum Pyrrophyta• Planktonic, unicellular• Almost all are marine• Red tides• Release toxins -
(Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) that are concentrated by shellfish
• Bioluminescence - Noctiluca
Zooxanthellae
• Dinoflagellate that lives in the tissue of marine animals such as corals, clams, etc.
• When Zooxanthellae leave the corals, they turn white = Coral Bleaching
Protozoans
• Simple, animal-like protists
• Ingest food and are photosynthetic
• Single-celled• Foraminiferans -
have a shell or “test” of CaCO3
• Radiolarians - secrete shells of silica
Foraminiferans
Radiolarians
Kingdom Fungi
• Multicellular eukaryotic
• 500 marine species• Decompose dead
organic matter
Kingdom Plantae
• Seaweeds (Macroalgae)– All eukaryotic – Lack true stems, leaves and roots– Most are multicellular
• Challenges to Seaweeds– Wave action and turbulence– Competition for light and space– Predators
Structure of Seaweed
• Thallus – complete plant• Blades - leaf-like portion• Pneumatocysts - gas
filled bladders (filled w/CO2)
• Holdfast - root-like structure (anchors)holds on to bottom
• Stipe – stem
Phylum Chlorophyta(Green algae)
• Mostly freshwater and terrestrial
• 10% of species are marine
Ulva
Phylum Phaeophyta (Brown Algae)
• Almost all species are marine• Sargassum (Sargasso seaweed)• Macrocystis (Giant Kelp)
– plants grow up to 300 ft– can grow 20”/day – form kelp beds or kelp forests– Harvested for Algin (used in cosmetics and
ice cream).
Phylum Rhodophyta(Red Algae)
• Highest commercial value• Fertilizer and animal feed• Agar and carrageenan:
gelling and thickening agents
• Coralline algae: have calcium carbonate in cell walls.
• Species: Nori (Porphyra), Irish Moss
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