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Economic importance of Algae

Since from olden days Algae species are intimately connected with human beings as a source food, medicine and other uses. Algae are taking an active role in human beings.

1. Primary Producers:

Algae are the main Oxygen producers in aquatic areas. They are also useful in decreasing water pollution by realizing Oxygen. 10% of photosynthesis is occurred by the algae in total photosynthesis quantity. With these activity algae forms 1.6-15.5 x 10 to the power of 11 tones of carbonic material like food.

2. Algae as food:

Algae species are used as food in several countries in several forms. Algae species have proteins, vitamins (A, B, C and E), lipids, and minerals. Laminaria species is the important edible seaweed in Japan and the food item 'Kombu' is prepared from it. 'Aonori' from Monostroma; 'Asakusa Nori' from Porphyra are prepared in different countries. Porphyra has 35% protein, 45% carbohydrates, Vitamins B and C and Niacin. Nostoc is used as food material in South America.

3. Algae as fodder for cattle:

Rhodymenia palmate is used as food for sheeps in Narvey. Laminaria saccharina, Pelvitia, Ascophyllum, etc. species are used as food for cattles.

4. Algae as fertilizers:

Blue-green algae are treated as bio-fertilizers from olden days. Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Scytonema, Spirulina, etc. are used as fertilizers to rice fields. All these algae are fixed the atmosphere Nitrogen in to ground. Cultivation of Spirulina is gaining importance as feed for fish, poultry and cattle.

5. Algae in Pisi culture:

Sea algae are used as food for fishes. So they play an important role in Pisi culture. Some green-algae, Diatoms, some blue-green algae are used as food material to fishes. These are also making the water clean, by realizing Oxygen.

6. Algae in reclamation of alkaline or Usar soils:

Our country has more number of alkaline soils or sterile soils. Blue-green algae like Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Scytonema, Spirulina are modified the soils in to fertile soils. Because they fixed Nitrogen in to soil. Nearly they fixed 400 K.g. of Nitrogen per year. Soil erosion is also reduced by these algae.

7. Algea in industry:

Iodine industry is mainly depended upon algae. Algae belonging to Phaeophyceae, like Laminaria, Ecklonia, Eisenia, etc. are used in the industry to prepare Iodine in industries. Phyllophora is used to prepare Iodine in Russia.

8. Alginates:

Alginates are the salts of alginic acid found in the cell wall of phaeophyceae. Alginates are extracted from Fucus, Laminaria, Macrocystis and Ecklonia. Alginates are used in the preparation of flame-proof fibrics, plastics, paints, gauze material in surgical dressing, soups, ice creams etc.

9. Agar-Agar:

Agar-agar is a jelly like substance of great economic value. It is obtained from certain red algae like Gelidium, Graciliaria, and Gigartina. Agar is used as a culture medium for growing callus in tissue culture.

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Skylar Hagenes

Lvl 13
2y ago

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What type of symbiosis exists between fungus and alga in a lichen?

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An organism composed of a fungus and an alga growing is a?

Lichen. Lichens are symbiotic organisms formed by a fungus and either an alga or a cyanobacterium living together in a mutualistic relationship. The fungus provides structure and protection, while the alga or cyanobacterium provide nutrients through photosynthesis.


Cyanobacteria or alga living in tissues of fungus is an example of what?

Lichen symbiosis. Lichen is a mutualistic relationship between a fungus and either a cyanobacterium or an alga, where both organisms benefit from each other's presence. The fungus provides structure and protection, while the cyanobacteria or alga provide nutrients through photosynthesis.


Two organisms that benefit from each other due to a link in their metabolic process is?

An example of two organisms that benefit from each other through a link in their metabolic process is lichen, which consists of a fungus and an alga. In this symbiotic relationship, the alga photosynthesizes to produce sugars that the fungus then uses for nutrients, while the fungus provides a protective structure for the alga.


Is a lichen a plant?

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