View allAll Photos Tagged algae
Red algae on silty bedrock
Date: 13/08/2005
NE Garbh Eileach, Garvellachs, Firth of Lorn
Photographer: Ben James
© SNH. All rights reserved. Please email for details - marinephotos@nature.scot
Image ref: DSC05043/NM-05-1180
The Phaeophyceae or brown algae (singular: alga), is a large group of mostly marine multicellular algae, including many seaweeds of colder Northern Hemisphere waters. They play an important role in marine environments, both as food and for the habitats they form. For instance Macrocystis, a kelp of the order Laminariales, may reach 60 m in length, and forms prominent underwater forests. Another example is Sargassum, which creates unique habitats in the tropical waters of the Sargasso Sea. Many brown algae, such as members of the order Fucales, commonly grow along rocky seashores. Some members of the class are used as food for humans.
Worldwide there are about 1500-2000 species of brown algae. Some species are of sufficient commercial importance, such as Ascophyllum nodosum, that they have become subjects of extensive research in their own right.
Brown algae belong to a very large group, the Heterokontophyta, a eukaryotic group of organisms distinguished most prominently by having chloroplasts surrounded by four membranes, suggesting an origin from a symbiotic relationship between a basal eukaryote and another eukaryotic organism. Most brown algae contain the pigment fucoxanthin, which is responsible for the distinctive greenish-brown color that gives them their name. Brown algae are unique among heterokonts in developing into multicellular forms with differentiated tissues, but they reproduce by means of flagellated spores and gametes that closely resemble cells of other heterokonts. Genetic studies show their closest relatives to be the yellow-green algae.
Long Beach Smithtown, Long Island NY
A paper by CSIR researchers, Dheepak Maharajh and Asha Harilal named ‘Transforming South Africa’s Biodiversity into Diesel’ has taken us one step closer to a future where we could be running on algae.
The paper presented the isolation of beneficial organisms and the best organisms from that potential in the biomass process. Currently biodiesel production and research are focused on crop based feedstock, such as palm oil. Researchers and stakeholders in the field are concerned that these biomass products could become unsustainable in the long term due to arable land and water requirements – not to mention the competition with food crops.
Algae has shown great potential in being the possible solution, as 40% can be harvested as fuel according to Maharajh;
“Algae generally grow at lower densities than bacteria or yeast, but their growth rates are far superior to terrestrial plants. These masses are specific to the organisms capability to produce oil. Eg, to produce 1 litre of fuel from an algae that produced 40% oil we would require 2.5kg of dry algal biomass, which could be as much as 2500L of liquid culture”
Microalgae have an oil yield at least 10 times better than oil seed crops and are capable of using environmental waste substrates such as carbon dioxide and nitrate-rich waste water for growth. For the last three years CSIR researchers have been actively sampling South Africa’s biodiversity and have successfully obtained over 200 isolates.
Full Article: southafricanbiodiversity.co.za/biodiversity/550-running-o...
There were dozens of frogs sitting on the algae on Northstar pond. Even a green heron for a little bit. California doesn't look its best in August.
August 2017.
A coral reef at Kiritimati Atoll dominated by algae. Credit: Jennifer Smith, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Scientific classification to the Saffron goby (Gobiodon citrinus)
Superdomain: Neomura
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked) Holozoa
(unranked) Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
(unranked): Bilateria
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Subclass: Neopterygii
Infraclass: Teleostei
Superorder: Acanthopterygii
Clade: Percomorpha
Order: Gobiiformes
Family: Gobiidae
Genus: Gobiodon
Species: G. citrinus
Scientific classification to the algae blenny (Salarias fasciatus) or also known as a Lawnmower Blenny.
Superdomain: Neomura
Domain: Eukaryota
(unranked): Opisthokonta
(unranked) Holozoa
(unranked) Filozoa
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
(unranked): Bilateria
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Subclass: Neopterygii
Infraclass: Teleostei
Superorder: Acanthopterygii
Clade: Percomorpha
(unranked): Ovalentaria
Order: Blenniiformes
Family: Blenniidae
Subfamily: Salarinae
Genus: Salarias
Species: S. Fasciatus
This is my sister's marimo (algae ball). I have no idea what the appeal of it is, but it seems to be that it's one step above having a pet rock.
July 30, 2025
Pictures from a photo walk on the tidal flats North of Paine's Creek.
Paine's Creek Estuary
Brewster, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
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© Bruce Christopher 2025
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Long strands of river algae, found in Mekong, are sprinkled with sesame seeds, tomato and garlic and left to dry int the sun, Laos.
Photo by Terry Sunderland/CIFOR
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