A large group of algae that includes many seaweeds that are mainly red in colour. Some kinds yield useful products (agar, alginates) or are used as food (laver, dulse, carrageen).
The predicted increase in the rate of coral reef calcification is most likely due to an enhancement in coral metabolism and/or increases in photosynthetic rates of red algae, according to the scientists.
Multicellular marine organisms may have existed as early as 1.7 billion years ago, and plants identifiable as red algae were certainly growing 1.2 billion years ago.
It is almost certain that these chloroplasts were ‘adopted’ from red algae by some secondary symbiosis, rather than by descent from the Rhodophyta.
Other red algae known as dulse have been pinpointed as rich sources of protein and iron, although dulse may not be easily digested.
There are more than 5200 species of rhodophytes, and although some rhodophytes do inhabit fresh water, red algae are most common in tropical marine environments.
Definition of red algae in US English:
red algae
noun
A large group of algae that includes many seaweeds that are mainly red in color. Some kinds yield useful products (agar, alginates) or are used as food (laver, dulse, carrageen).
Other red algae known as dulse have been pinpointed as rich sources of protein and iron, although dulse may not be easily digested.
Multicellular marine organisms may have existed as early as 1.7 billion years ago, and plants identifiable as red algae were certainly growing 1.2 billion years ago.
The predicted increase in the rate of coral reef calcification is most likely due to an enhancement in coral metabolism and/or increases in photosynthetic rates of red algae, according to the scientists.
It is almost certain that these chloroplasts were ‘adopted’ from red algae by some secondary symbiosis, rather than by descent from the Rhodophyta.
There are more than 5200 species of rhodophytes, and although some rhodophytes do inhabit fresh water, red algae are most common in tropical marine environments.