This blog contains information about Types, Uses and Importance of Algae. It also explains the Factors that effect Algae Production with Economic and Environmental Importance of Algae in detail.
What is Algae?
Algae are the Photosynthetic and Nucleus bearing Aquatic organisms that lack true roots, stem and leaves. They are internally like plants but their structure lack the characteristics and reproductive structures of Plants.
These are predominantly aquatic and they belong to Kingdom Protista. Algae have various types, uses and Life cycles. They are found in a wide range of sizes starting from microscopic structures of Algae and reaching to the giant kelps that are 60 meters long in length. Algae is mostly good for Biodiversity and does not harm human health. They are oxygen makers due to the Photosynthetic nature. So, they help living organisms to live and survive by providing oxygen. It is also a source of food for many living organisms because it is healthy for them and help them to grow and survive.
Some of the algae is harmful for health of Biodiversity and Humans. While some are extremely useful for Biodiversity. We will discuss about the Types, Causes of Production, Uses and Importance of Algae in detail.
What are the Factors Effecting Algae Production?
Algae is produced by the specific characteristics of the Environmental Conditions. These Factors of Environmental conditions are responsible for the production of Algae:
1: Nutrients:
Nitrogen and phosphorus are main components of Algae. When these components exceeds in concentration in the water or soil, algae is produced. Excessive concentrations of Nutrients makes the algae production accelerated and obvious.
2: Temperature:
Temperature is a significant factor that accelerates and speeds up the Algae production. High temperature of water is one of the biggest cause of Algae Production. When the temperature is high, the capacity of multiplying algae also accelerates in order to grow in number. This provides a favorable environment to multiply.
3: Light:
As algae are photosynthetic Aquatic organisms, so they need different intensity and amount of light to work properly and reproduce. The duration of presence of light and the sufficient intensity of light helps Algae to grow and reproduce at faster rates. Light is a significant factor in Algae Production.
4: Wind:
Winds are also responsible in the mechanism of formation of algae. It is important for better algae production that the wind should be stable. Stabilized wind is not too fast and not too slow. The specific and stabilized wind pattern helps algae to grow and multiply properly. This is also a significant factor.
5: Salinity:
Salinity is the presence of excessive salts in the water. Marine organisms are tolerant to excessive salts and they can grow in salty Environment. But in case of Algae, the salty Environment may disrupt or effect the growth of Algae. In short, growth of algae is not fully supported by Saline Environments. So their development is disturbed.
6: Weather Conditions:
Weather conditions may lead to the harmful algal bloom due to high speed winds, heavy rainfalls etc. The weather patterns can distract their normal growth and their variations may effect the health and reproduction of algae. It can also be considered as a great factor that effects Algae Production.
These are the Factors that effects the Algae Production. These can destroy or nourish Algae with their variations. This blog contains Production, Types, Uses and Importance of Algae.
What are the main types of Algae?
Algae is a vast group of organisms. All of them have different characteristics, Life Cycles, shapes, sizes etc. Algae are classified into Three Main Types. These types are described below:
1) Green Algae:
Green Algae or Chlorophyta can be found in Salt water, freshwater and even on moist Soil. They produce starch by absorbing sunlight and save it as their food. Coloration of Green Algae comes from Chlorophyll A and B in them. Green Algae resembles from plants in a lot of ways. It is believed that Green Algae is the Progenitor of the Plants because of similar characteristics. These absorbs CO2 and emits Oxygen in return. These are very important and effective type of Algae.
Example of Green Algae:
Chlamydomonas is the example of Green Algae.
2) Brown Algae:
Brown algae also called as Phaeophyta is another classification of Algae. This is the most complex type of Algae. It contains a distinct pigment called Fucoxanthin that is not found in Green and Red Algae. It is beneficial for human health and is a part of food for humans and many herbivorous organisms. These are yellowish-brown in color and are mostly produced at stationary structures such as rocks, shells etc. They are important because of their distinct pigment and appearance.
Example of Brown Algae:
Sargassum is the example of Brown Algae etc.
3) Red Algae:
Red algae or Rhodophyta is the oldest type of Algae found on Earth. It is found in both marine and freshwater resources. They have a speciality to grow on solid surfaces and they also join with other types pf Algae. They mainly contains cellulose and different types of Carbohydrates. Red algae can grow in deeper areas of ponds, because it has the ability to absorb blue light. Some of them are good for humans and are utilized by them, while some are toxic for human health.
Example of Red Algae:
Coral Strands are the Example of Red Algae.
These are the major Classification and Types of Algae. There are many sub-types and different kinds of Algae that are present on the Earth. Each type has its own life-cycle, shapes, sizes and structures. This blog contains Types, Uses and Importance of Algae.
What are some of the Uses of Algae:
There are is a vast variety of Uses of Algae. These can be in different sectors and for different needs. Following is the detail of some uses of Algae in Human Life and Environment:
i. Food:
Algae is widely used in Food sector. We can eat this as food supplement or as an addition to other food items. Some of the Algae are rich in nutrients and we can use them as dietary supplements. There are many Algae based food products such as Algae based snacks and Protein Powders. It facilitates us in many food supplies.
ii. Biofuels:
Algae also takes a part in the production of Biofuels. We can blend it with gasoline to make Biofuel. This biofuel is able to convert into Bio-diesel and also Jet-fuel. These all are emerging Renewable Energy Sources that can prove useful for implementation of Sustainability and Sustainable Energy Generation. In this way Algae provide great Economic Benefit to Power sector.
iii. Aquaculture:
Aquaculture is a sector that relates to raising, feeding and harvesting Fishes, Shellfish and also the Aquatic Plants. Algae is a sustainable solution for the Aquaculture feeding purposes. It is a effective and nutritious feed for Aquaculture and organisms raising in Aquaculture. It helps in supporting the growth of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.
iv. Fertilizers:
Algae are effective fertilizers because they release Nitrogen very quickly. They also work as soil conditioners that provide essential nutrients to crops to help it to grow and survive. It is also a medicine to improve soil health because it is full of Nutrients and it release the nutrients to cover the nutrient deficiency in the soil.
v. Carbon Sequestration:
Carbon Sequestration is the process of harvesting Carbon Dioxide or other Carbon compounds from the Environment by Natural or Artificial Processes. The gas Carbon dioxide is one of the Major Air Pollutants on the Earth. Algae has the ability to remove Carbon dioxide from the Environment and also use it to make its food.
vi. Bioplastics:
Bioplastic are the plastic materials that we humans produce from the living organisms or living structures. Along with many other Economic benefits, Algae can also facilitate us by helping out and providing material for making Bioplastics. Bioplastics does not release Microplastics in the Environment and are safe for Biodiversity on Earth.
vii. Bioremediation:
Bioremediation is the process of removing pollutants from soil or water with the help of plants, animals or any living structures. It is a very important process and also can help us to restore the Environment. Algae can help us to apply bioremediation of the soil and water. This process is very effective and also Algae is the best option for its implementation.
viii: Cosmetics and Skin Care:
Cosmetics and skin care products are those that we apply externally on our body in order to enhance its beauty or to take care of it. These products are widely used by the individuals around the world. These sectors also utilize Algae for the production of Skin care and cosmetics products. These contains useful nutrients that are good for human health.
ix. Pharmaceuticals:
Pharmaceutical sector is the one that related medicinal drugs, their preparation, use or sale. All the medicines and also the ointments are manufactured by Pharmaceutical companies. Algae is a healthy supplement and material in the production of medicines and drugs for Medical industry. Algae provides many advantages in making pharmaceutical products.
These are some of the major uses of Algae. All these uses shows and explains the significance and importance of Algae in our lives. We get a lot of Environmental and Economic Benefits from algae. This blog is all about Types, Uses, and also the Importance of Algae.
What is the Environmental Importance of Algae?
Algae provides many benefits for the Environment by providing many Ecosystem services to the Environment. These Environmental Benefits include the following:
- Algae naturally absorbs Carbon dioxide and release Oxygen in return. This adds production of oxygen to the Environment in order to keep it healthy.
- It also play a great role in Cycling of the nutrients. At first it absorbs nutrients and then it release them back into the Environment.
- Algae is also a great weapon for pollution control, as it helps to trap the agricultural runoff that contains dissolved fertilizers that pollutes soil and water.
- It is a Renewable Energy source that helps us in producing Sustainable Energy and also helps us in maintaining Sustainable Development by negligible emissions.
- Algae is a suitable and nutrient filled habitat for a large number of microorganisms.
- It also helps in removing pollutants from soil and water by the process of Bioremediation.
- Algae is also important for providing Bio-fuel, Bio-ethanol and Jet-fuel for industries.
- It is also a significant source of Food for Humans and Biodiversity on Earth.
These are the points showing Environmental Importance of Algae. These Ecosystem services provides great benefits to Humans and other forms of Biodiversity on the Planet. This shows that Algae is a useful and integral part of our Natural Environment. This blog is about Types, Uses and Importance of Algae.
What is the Economic Importance of Algae?
Algae is very important in Environmental aspects, but it also provide many benefits and Advantages in Economic aspects in our lives. Following are some of the points showing Economic Importance of Algae:
- Algae helps us to produce Sustainable Energy with Naturally occurring structure that grows and multiplies rapidly. This helps us with reducing the Economic burden of Industries.
- Some of the species and full of nutrients and some are full of proteins. So, they are widely used in the Food and Snacks industries.
- It is a cost-effective and Sustainable form of Food for Aquatic Organisms that grows in Aquaculture. These help them to grow and also survive properly.
- This facilitates us by providing suitable materials that are best for making Personal Care products and Cosmetics. They are cost-effective means of producing these products.
- Bioremediation is a costly method that is for cleaning the Environment. We can use Algae as a material that makes Bioremediation very effective and easily available.
- Algae is also effective against Water Pollution. As it is an effective weapon for Wastewater Treatment and also provide promising results in this field.
These are some of the points showing Economic Importance of Algae. These services provides many cost-effective and Eco-friendly benefits to the Economic Sector. This blog contains Types, Uses and Importance of Algae.
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