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The Algae and their General Characteristics

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Photosynthesis in Algae

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 14))

Summary

In contrast to the land plants, algae have very diverse mechanisms of photosynthesis, and especially of light- harvesting pigments and assemblages. This diversity is inherited from a great diversity of plastid types with different evolutionary histories, not withstanding the fact that all plastids appear to be derived by endosymbiosis from Cyanobacteria or their forebears. The major groups of algae are therefore related to the type of protist host and the type of plastid, and these are described. In most groups of algae it appears that the plastid has been derived by at least two serial endosymbioses. A single endosymbiosis appears to have occurred in the green algae, the red algae and the glaucocystophytes. The rich variety of types and mechanisms has given rise to many biochemical products which today form the basis of a growing biotechnology industry. Algae are important economically in many other ways. From a photosynthetic point of view the algae will be a rich source of ideas for many years to come.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Marine Biosciences, National Research Council, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B34 3Z1, Canada

    Susan E. Douglas

  2. School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 4HN, UK

    John A. Raven

  3. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    Anthony W. D. Larkum

Authors
  1. Susan E. Douglas
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  2. John A. Raven
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  3. Anthony W. D. Larkum
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susan E. Douglas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia

    Anthony W. D. Larkum

  2. National Research Council, Institute for Marine Biosciences, Canada

    Susan E. Douglas

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, UK

    John A. Raven

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© 2003 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Douglas, S.E., Raven, J.A., Larkum, A.W.D. (2003). The Algae and their General Characteristics. In: Larkum, A.W.D., Douglas, S.E., Raven, J.A. (eds) Photosynthesis in Algae. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1038-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1038-2_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3772-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-1038-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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