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