Plant Reproduction
Coral Reef Plant Reproduction
Chlorophyta: Green Algae
Green algae are a large group of algae, consisting of the Chlorophyte and Charophyte algae. The most well known types of green algae are 'sea lettuce', part of the genera 'Ulva' and 'sea grapes', part of the genera 'Caulerpa'. Green algae may be unicellular, multicellular, colonial (living as a loose aggregation of cells) or coenocytic (made up of multinucleate, continuous mass of protoplasm enclosed by one cell wall).
Green algae follow a reproduction cycle called alternation of generations, also known as metagenesis. During a haploid phase, green algae will reproduce sexually, whilst during a diploid phase, green algae will reproduce asexually through meiosis.
Sexual reproduction:
Sexual reproduction provides offspring with unique genetic material and occurs in three main forms: isogamy, anisogamy and oogamy. Isogamy involves two motile, or moving, gametes, which are similar in structure and size, fusing together to form new organisms. Anisogamy is a similar process except the two gametes are different. Oogamy a motile male gamete fusing with an immobile female gamete.
Asexual reproduction:
This is the most common form of reproduction amongst green algae, and there are several different forms used in creating new algae, including: zoospory, palmelloids and akinetes. In zoospory, motile spores, with flagella, are produced in the zoosporangium, and palmelloids follow the same pattern, with the exception of the spores never escaping and forming a colony inside the parent. Akinetes, finally, are non-motile spores.