(MPA) Marine Plants & Algae Module Overview

Image reads Module Overview oceanography

Marine Plants & Algae Module Overview

Introduction

This module will focus on introducing the students to the producers of the various marine environments, their chemical processes, and identifying characteristics

Essential Questions

Here are some essential questions for the module:

  • Describe the importance of diatoms and dinoflagellages in a marine ecosystem.
  • How are marine algae adapted for carrying out photosynthesis?
  • In what ways are seaweeds important to people?
  • What is the importance for sea grasses to marine ecosystems?
  • Explain how the roots of a mangrove help other organisms survive.
  • What is the difference between photosynthesis and chemosynthesis in ocean flora?
  • What are some of the factors that influence the primary productivity of the ocean?

Key Terms

Pay attention to these key terms as you come across them in the instruction pages:

  • Phytoplankton - Tiny autotrophic organisms that float in the ocean and serve as the foundation of the marine food chain.
  • Diatom - Most common class of phytoplankton that are made from two small pieces of silica
  • Dinoflagellate - Group of autotrophic protista found in the ocean that move using a whiplike projection
  • Gonyaulax - Dinoflagellate found in fresh and marine waters with two flagella often cause red tide
  • Gymnodinium - Marine or freshwater disk shaped dinoflagellates known to cause algal blooms
  • Red tide - Common name for such a phenomenon where certain phytoplankton "bloom" such that the water appears to be colored red. Most often not harmful.
  • Algae - Group of photosynthetic, eukaryotic, autotrophic, plant-like organisms, but lack plant structures such as leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds
  • Nonvascular - Plants lacking tubes to transport food and water such as xylem and phloem, instead they transport substances via diffusion
  • Benthic algae - Algae that grow on the sediment at the bottom of a body of water
  • Rockweed - Species of brown algae seaweed often found referred to as Sargassum
  • Kelp - Large brown algae seaweed which can grow very long and form kelp forests
  • Marine grass - Grass such as eel grass and turtle grass which has adapted to grow underwater
  • Mangrove - Trees adapted for growing in shallow sea water

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