Occurrence and Habitat of AlgaeReporter:

Adrian Fabian Alcaraz

Proud BS Bio 4A

Algae are found in water of river, ponds, ditches, pools, sea and on moist places like tree trunks, flower pots, telegraph posts or in association with other plants and animals.

They have been recorded from snow, hot springs, tide pools and other unusual habitat.

Edaphophytes Aerophytes Cryophytes

Endophytes Symbiotic Endozoophytes Parasites

Hydrophytes

I. HydrophytesThey are either submerged

or free floating on the surface of water.

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Benthophytes Epactiphytes Thermophytes Planktophytes

Halophytes Epiphytes Epizoophytes

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BenthophytesThey grow on mud or on

bottom of a body of water.

Chara Nitella

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EpactiphytesAlgal forms growing along

shores of lakes and ponds.

Chaetophora Oedogonium Rivularia

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ThermophytesFound on hot springs of many

countries.

Chroococcaceae

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Euplanktophytes

PlanktophytesAlgal forms float on surface

of water.

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Tychoplanktophytes

EuplanktophytesAlgae that floats in open

water.

Diatoms Chlorococcales

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Algal forms unattached and floating on water due to wind or outside agency.

Spirogyra Zygnema

Tychoplanktophytes

Nostoc

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Algae of waters of high salt concentration.

Dunaliella salina Prasiola

Halophytes

Ulva

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Algae growing on other plants and bigger algal members.

Bulbochaete Oedogonium

Epiphytes

Coleochaete

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Algae growing mollusc shells, fishes, turtles.

Protoderma Characium

Epizoophytes

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II. EdaphophytesTerrestrial algae. They may occur

on or under soil. (subterranean algae)

Saphophytes Cryptophytes

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SaphophytesFound on the surface of soil.

Botrydium Vaucheria

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CryptophytesSubterranean algae which can

grow upto a depth of one meter or more.

Chlorella

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III. AerophytesAlgae found in aerial habitat. They

live on moist rocks, walls, tree trunks, fencing wires, telegraph poles, animals and other aerial substrata.

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Epiphyllophytes Epiphloephytes

Epizoophytes Lithophytes

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Epiphytic alga found on leaves of other plants.

Epiphyllophytes

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Trentepohlia Cephaleuros

Grow on bark of trees along with mosses and liverworts.

Scytonema

Epiphloephytes

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These forms grow on the bodies of land animals.

Cladophora

Epizoophytes

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Grows on rocks and walls.

Lithophytes

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Stigonema Calothrix

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IV. CryophytesThese algae grow on ice and snow adapting

themselves at freezing temperatures. They impart various colours like red, green and yellow to the snow.

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Chlamydomonas

V. EndophytesThese are algae which grow within

other plants.

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Anabaena Nostoc

VI. SymbioticMany algal forms show symbiotic

relationship with fungi and this association is called Lichens.

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Lichens

VII. EndozoophytesCertain algae occur inside the body

of animals.

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Zoochlorella

VIII. ParasitesSome algae are parasitic upon other

plants.

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Cephaleuros