1) The document provides an overview of different types of marine plants including seaweeds, algae, mangroves, and seagrasses. It describes their structures, characteristics, examples, and ecological importance. 2) There are three main types of seaweeds: red, brown, and green algae. Red algae are most common and can range in color. Brown algae are the largest and include kelp. 3) Seagrasses and mangroves are flowering plants that live in coastal waters. Seagrasses form underwater meadows while mangroves grow in tropical coastlines.

1. January 6 th 2011 Mrs. Harris

2. Brief overview/review of seaweeds and algae Other marine plants Mangrove species & ecology

3. Leaves called blades Stem-like structure called stipe Root shaped bundle at bottom called holdfast – only for anchor, no absorption Gas bladders – bubble like structures that help w/ buoyancy – tiny, grape-like bunches to volleyball-sized floats Whole body called thallus

4. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0210280/seaweedstructure/seaweedstructuremap.html

5. Rhodophyta… red algae Phaeophyta… brown algae Chlorophyta… green algae

6. Red algae make up the majority of the world’s seaweeds Cold, deep seas – accessory pigments allow them to be in lower light Like tropical and subtropical regions better Grow slowly – live a long time – tens to hundreds of years Some at surface – dark accessory pigments block some intensity of sun Ex: Red Weed http://www.dnrec.state.de.us/MacroAlgae/information/Indentifying.shtml

7. Protist kingdom produce carrageenen have a pigment, phycoerythrin, that gives most of them a reddish color range in color from dark black (deepest ocean) to bright red (moderate depths) or green (shallow waters) important member of the coral reef ecosystem Image comes from the UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology pages

8. Brown algae - grow the largest of all the algae & are all multicellular Almost all of 1500 species are marine Like cooler, offshore waters Includes kelps – 40 m average – can grow 50 cm a day! – can be deeper (grow fast to get to light) – ideal depth is ~35m Some annuals, some live up to 7 years http://taggart.glg.msu.edu/bot335/seaweed.htm

9. Protist kingdom Giant kelp forests in Pacific Ocean – mainly consist of Macrocystis Ex. Sargassum – grows off SC coast – principal seaweed in Sargasso Sea (off SE coast of US) is found floating on top of water http://images.google.com/images?q=sargassum&svnum=10&hl=en&safe=active&rls=SUNA%2CSUNA%3A2006-07%2CSUNA%3Aen

10. Green algae Little to no accessory pigments Live near/at surface – can get red light Only 10% of 7000 species are marine – most freshwater Ex. Ulva = sea lettuce http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa030801.htm

11. Plant Kingdom Contain Chlorophyll http://www.hawaii.edu/reefalgae/invasive_algae/chloro/caulerpa_tax_web.JPG

13. Flowering Plants—Plant Kingdom Vascular plants that use flowers and seeds to reproduce – most are land plants Few live in water – those that do, live in shallow, coastal waters (less than thirty species exist in marine ecosystems) Three types are found in marshes, swamps, bays and oceans. seagrasses, marsh grasses, and mangrove trees.

14. Not true grasses – have leaves, stems and roots to get nutrients – form submerged “meadows” - ~45 species Coasts of N. America, Atlantic coast of Europe, Eastern Asia, temperate Australia, and S. America Support heterotrophs – usually eat it as decaying Emit pollen but in strings that float in water most common = eelgrass ( Zostera ) – also common are turtle grass and manatee grass – named after animals that live and eat there – 90% eelgrass lost in epidemic in 1930-31 – still recovering Phyllospadix – has flowers and fruit Very productive http://www.racerocks.com/racerock/eco/taxalab/phyllospadix.htm

15. https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/Library/NCR/photogallery.html

16. Tangled masses of trees – large flowering plants Never completely submerged but considered marine plants – live in lagoons, bays and estuaries of Indo-Pacific, tropical Africa and tropical Americas Avoid taking up salt or have salt-excreting cells – some excreted through leaves – drop in ocean Require prop roots b/c mud is so soft Roots can get O 2 from air - roots are safe place for many organisms to live – also increase stability of coastal wetlands Seeds germinate on trees – hope to drop while tide is out – force of fall penetrates soil/mud and plant will grow there If tide is in, seed will be carried elsewhere by water and grow there - can colonize mud/sandbars and create new land there

18. Algin (harvested from mucus like covering) used in fabric stiffeners; adhesives; holding oil and water together in salad dressings; clarifying beer and wine; making shoe stains, soaps and shaving creams; and preventing formation of crystals in ice cream Fast food restaurants use carrageenan to replace fat in hamburgers Grow bacteria on agar in labs Keep milk and car waxes homogenized Used in ink

19. 3.3.2 Research three marine plants. Describe the type of plant, give an example, and include any other information you think is important for a marine biologist to know. 3.3.3 a Complete part 3 only…write a letter about the importance of mangrove trees