18
votes
Accepted
What's this stuff that looks like white chainmail armor growing on giant kelp?
That looks like it could be the lacy crust bryozoan (Membranipora membranacea). That bryozoan is an epiphytic animal whose native range includes the Pacific coast; it does not feed on the kelp, but ...
- 5,683
7
votes
Accepted
In lichen, do the fungi consume the oxygen produced by algae?
Exchange of gases between lichen symbionts has been demonstrated for Flavoparmelia caperata. Note that this is a foliose lichen species, though the findings may be generalizable to marine lichen.
We ...
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6
votes
Accepted
Cynobacteria vs. BGA
Cyanobacteria are oxygenic photosynthic prokariotes, historically known as "blue-green algae" until their prokariotic nature was unambiguously confirmed. (So, yes, Cyanobacteria and blue-...
- 26k
5
votes
Accepted
Are there any eukaryotic algae that degrade EDTA?
I can find no published evidence for the degradation of EDTA by eukaryotic algae. I found only one publication where algal metabolism of an aminopolycarboxylic acid was tested, specifically whether ...
- 8,336
4
votes
Accepted
Looking for specific alga and a recently extinct (or rare) marine animal from the same region for novel
Yes, at least some of the genome has been sequenced for the Great Auk (Pinguinis impennis): Taxonomy browser @ NIH (click on the 45 next to the Genomic Sequences title). There appear to be 45 ...
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3
votes
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Can Thraustochytrids such as Schizochytrium do photosynthesis?
I think not.
from Kingdoms and Domains: An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth By Lynn Margulis, Michael J Chapman. as found on google books
You will see there are no chloroplasts ...
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3
votes
Accepted
How many giant kelp are there per square meter?
The density of Macrocystis pyrifera is pretty variable. According to Dayton et al. 1984 off of the Southern California coast it can range from less than 0.1 to to 1.0 $individuals/m^2$. The variation ...
- 435
2
votes
Accepted
How does the OD correlate with the number of algae cells?
As with bacterial cells, number of cell and OD are correlated. I am not a specialist, but it seems that you can use microscope to visually count number of cells, then correlate it with optical density ...
2
votes
Accepted
What is "beto carotene" and how can it turn lakes pink?
The "beto" is a typing mistake. Beta is an organic chemistry label referring to a beta-ring of 6 carbons that exists at either end of a carotenoid polymer C40-Hx.
It is localized in the chloroplast. ...
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2
votes
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What kind of lichen is it (no. 2)?
This is a fruiticose lichen, meaning one with a bushy growth habit. They are common in my native state of Texas (USA), where they hang off of oak trees. Your photos look much like them. I have seen ...
- 173
2
votes
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What are these black masses floating on my pool?
I was looking in the wrong kingdom. After much searching I asked myself: are those eggs? Silly me, of course they are. I should have thought it from the start. Mosquitoes plant their eggs on water ...
- 161
2
votes
Accepted
Are there completely self-sufficient autotrophs?
It really depends on what you mean by "organic matter". No cell is going to be able to grow and reproduce without an appropriate source of CHON atoms (plus lesser amounts of the other necessary ...
- 6,997
2
votes
Multiple fission and spore formation
All the organisms shown in the figure reproduce asexually. (A) is Penicillium in which non-motile conidia are produced singly or in chains. Organism (B) is Chlamydomonas in which reproduction occurs ...
1
vote
Biology Experiment Algae pH & temperature help?
In general is a good idea to check the scientific literature in the subject. In the section "materials and methods" you could find how people do stuff like measuring growth or controlling pH....
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1
vote
What is "beto carotene" and how can it turn lakes pink?
There are several combined reasons.
first salt itself in such lakes is often pink, so part of the color comes from the salt crust itself. this is more noticeable in more extreme salt lakes where the ...
- 15.4k
1
vote
Accepted
Do green algae form obligate symbioses with fungi?
Yes, Lichen are composite organisms of green algae (or cyanobacteria) living togther with fungi.
In most cases the fungi-part is completely dependent on that symbioses and is completely dependent ...
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