Seaweed is what type of algae

They belong to three different groups, empirically distinguished since the mid-nineteenth century on the basis of thallus color: brown algae phylum Ochrophyta, class Phaeophyceae; see right for a large brown kelp, Durvillaea in New Zealand , red algae phylum Rhodophyta; below Gelidium in Ireland , and green algae phylum Chlorophyta, classes Bryopsidophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Dasycladophyceae, Prasinophyceae, and Ulvophyceae; bottom, Ulva howensis in Lord Howe Island, off eastern Australia.

Distinguishing these three phyla, however, involves more substantial differences than colour. They originated through different evolutionary processes primary endosymbiosis for green and red algae, secondary endosymbiosis for brown algae, and for this reason they are now classified in different kingdoms green algae and red algae in the Kingdom Plantae, and brown algae in the Kingdom Chromista.

Red and brown algae are almost exclusively marine, whilst green algae are also common in freshwater rivers and lakes , and even in terrestrial rocks, walls, houses, and tree bark in damp places situations. Many of these algae are very ancient organisms, and although lumped together as "algae", are not really very closely related, having representatives in 4 of the 5 or 6 kingdoms of organisms.

Seaweeds are far more complex organisms than generally realised. Many have specialised tissues and growth forms. They may have very complicated sex, with many of them producing sex pheremones chemicals that attract males or male gametes , and with many different types of sex organs. Seaweeds belong to three different groups with more than 10, species namely, brown algae, green algae, and red algae.

While green algae are common in freshwater and terrestrial situations, red and brown algae are common in marine environments. While algae are chlorophyll-containing organisms commonly found in aquatic environments such as marine bodies, sea, and even freshwater bodies, seaweed are plant-like organisms that attach themselves to rocks and other hard substances in an aquatic environment.

There exist , collected species of algae in the world. On the other hand, there exist more than 10, species of seaweed in the world. While algae can either be unicellular or multicellular, seaweeds are multicellular. Algae grow in aquatic environments such as marine bodies, sea, and even freshwater bodies. On the contrary, seaweeds are only found in the sea. While algae can grow in both deep and shallow water, seaweed only grows in shallow water.

While seaweed is a type of algae, the two have major differences, in terms of history, the range of species, habitats, and even the cellular structure. While algae grow in marine bodies, the sea, and even fresh waterbodies, seaweeds only grow in the sea.

Difference Between Algae and Seaweed. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. Seaweeds area food source for humans especially in East Asia, it is most commonly associated with Japanese food. Seaweeds also are used to make a number of food additives such as alginates and carrageenan which is used in cooking and baking as a vegetarian alternative to gelatine. Many seaweeds are used as medicine.

Alginates are used in wound dressings and in the production of dental moulds and agar is used very widely in Microbiology to help grow bacterial cultures. Seaweeds are ingredients in toothpaste, cosmetics and paints and are used in industrial products such as paper coatings, adhesives, dyes, gels, explosives and many more. Much of the oil and natural gas we use today formed from seaweeds which partially decomposed on the sea floor many millions of years ago.

Japanese food uses seaweeds extensively - Kombu a brown alga and Kim nori a red alga. Join Scripps' Institution's Russell Chapman as he discusses the important roles algae have played in the development of life as we know it.

Thanks to I would sincerely like to thank the many members of the Flickr community who have given me permission to use their wonderful images for this unit. Their contributions really make this unit come alive! Next: Brown Algae Marine Algae Seaweed is a term applied to multicellular, marine algae which are large enough to be seen by the eye unaided.

Some can grow to up to 60 metres in length. Seaweeds include members of the red, brown and green algae. They are members of the kingdom Protista meaning they are not Plants. They do not have the vascular system internal transport system of plants and do not have roots, stems, leaves and flowers or cones. While dietary soy was long credited for the low rate of cancer in Japan, this indicator of robust health is now attributed to dietary seaweed.

These versatile marine plants and algae have also contributed to economic growth. Among their many uses in manufacturing, they are effective binding agents emulsifiers in such commercial goods as toothpaste and fruit jelly, and popular softeners emollients in organic cosmetics and skin-care products.