Chlorophyta: Green Algae

Examples: Chlorella, Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Ulva.

Characteristics: Green colour from chlorophyll a and b in the same proportions as the 'higher' plants; beta-carotene (a yellow pigment); and various characteristic xanthophylls (yellowish or brownish pigments). Food reserves starch, some fats or oils like higher plants. Some green algae are to be the progenitors of the higher green plants but there is currently some debate on this point.

Green algae may be unicellular (one cell), multicellular (many cells), colonial (living as a loose aggregation of cells) or coenocytic (composed of one large cell without cross-walls; the cell may be uninucleate or multinucleate). They have membrane-bound chloroplasts and nuclei. Most green are aquatic and are found commonly in freshwater (mainly Charophytes) and marine habitats (mainly chlorophytes); some are terrestrial, growing on soil, trees, or rocks. Some are symbiotic with fungi giving lichens. Others are symbiotic with animals, e.g. the freshwater coelentrate Hydra has a symbiotic species of Chlorella as does Paramecium bursaria, a protozoan. Chlorella is now grown and sold as a health supplement and Dunaliella is grown as a source of beta-carotene. A number of freshwater green algae (charophytes, desmids and Spirogyra) are now included in the Charophyta (charophytes), a phylum of mostly freshwater and terrestrial algae, which are more closely related to the higher plants than the marine green algae belonging to the Chlorophyta (known as chlorophytes).

Asexual reproduction may be by fission (splitting), fragmentation or by zoospores (motile spores). Sexual reproduction is very common and may be isogamous (gametes both motile and same size); anisogamous (both motile and different sizes - female bigger) or oogamous (female non-motile and egg-like; male motile). May have an alternation of haploid and diploid phases. The haploid phases form gametangia (sexual reproductive organs) and the diploid phases form zoospores by reduction division (meiosis). Some do not have an alternation of generations, meiosis occurring in the zygote. There are about 8,000 species of green algae, about 1000 of which are marine chlorophytes and the remainder freshwater charophytes. Unfortunately, just because algae are green no longer means that they are closely related: two major aggregation of green algae, the Chlorophyta and the Charophyta have turned out not be closely related.

Commercial uses: Organic beta-carotene is produced in Australia from the hypersaline (growing in high salinity water often known as brine) green alga Dunaliella salina grown in huge ponds. Beta carotene has been shown to be very effective in preventing some cancers, including lung cancer. Species of Caulerpa, a marine tropical to warm-temperate genus, are very popular in aquaria. Unfortunately, this has led to the introduction of a number of Caulerpa species around the world, the best-known example being the invasive species Caulerpa taxifolia.

Chlorella, a genus of freshwater and terrestrial unicellular green alga with about 100 species, is grown like yeast in bioreactors, where it has a very rapid life history. It may be taken in the form of tablets or capsules, or added to foods such as pasta or cookies. Taken in any form, it is said improve the nutritional quality of a daily diet. According to the Taiwan Chlorella Manufacturing Company the increase in processed and refined foods in the diet of modern man make Chlorella an important food supplement for anyone interested in better health.

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