Redeeming Algae

The word "redeem" is a very rich, meaningful term for those of us in the Christian faith. Early in the Old Testament, God reveals the idea of the Kinsman Redeemer, one who will vindicate and rescue his needy relative. It is a picture designed to point us beautifully to the rescuing work Jesus would do on the cross many years later.
I had said in my very first post we would talk here about the animals and plants that we see while snorkeling near Long Key in Florida and so it's time to share a bit about some of the marine "plants". (Actually, most of the algae are not classified in the plant kingdom but belong in the kingdom Protista. There are marine plants which have roots like terrestrial plants do. Algae do not have roots but attach to the bottom with finger-like things called rhizoids).
Algae gets a pretty bad rap in freshwater locals like we have here in Ohio. Everyone with a pool, pond, or little fountain is trying to "control" (kill) the algae that so persistently wants to spread in our water. As a result, many species of algae, in these parts, all get lumped together under the less-than-favorable moniker of "Pond Scum".
Ah, but just like it does to other things considered lowly in Ohio (like worms), the sea "redeems" algae. After a week of Marine Biology with us, you will catch yourself before saying "pond scum" and you will (hopefully) never say "seaweed" again.
This is because the snorkeler in the near shore waters of the Florida Keys will lay eyes on many truly beautiful, interesting, and important species of algae.

There are 3 Phyla of algae we observe: Phaeophyta (Brown Algae), Rhodophyta (Red Algae), and Chlorophyta (Green Algae). Interesting brown algae includes Sargassum, which is often seen detached and floating on top of the water due to the air bladders in it's structure, and Dictyota which provides a classic example of a particular animal (Ragged Sea Hare) using a particular alga (Dicyota) for camouflage. Can you tell between the photos on the left which is a clump of Dictyota alga and which is actually a very cool animal called a Ragged Sea Hare? Not surprisingly, the sea hare spends most of it's time in locations where the bottom is covered with Dicyota alga whose y-shaped branches are nearly inseparable from the y-shaped papillae that jut out from the sea hare's body. You can imagine the slow, painstaking observation that is required to find this animal hiding among this alga!
All 3 of the algal groups perform photosynthesis and since there is so much ocean on our planet, algae is believed to produce as much as 87% of our planet's oxygen! Surely they deserve better than being pond scum and seaweed!

Halimeda

Rhipocephalus

The eye-catching beauties among the marine algae are the Green Algae. Very rarely, as you snorkel in The Keys can you look down and not see some species of green alga growing underneath you which is why they are such a crucial piece of the food chain in the ocean. Green marine algae come in a delightful array of shapes and sizes growing up from the sea bottom. Each species has it's own set of animals that prefer to feed on or hide in that particular species of alga. Here are some common ones we find:

Caulurpa

Pencillus

Udotea

Acetabularia

All living things that people discover are given a Latin, scientific name indicating their genus and species. Once a "thing" with a scientific name is observed often enough by non-scientists, it tends to be given what is called a common name that, for our country is in English and often descriptive of how the "thing" looks so we can remember the name more easily. All of the captions under the pictures list the genus of the alga's scientific name. Can you match these common names to the correct genus by their appearance? Mermaid Fan, Shaving Brush, Pine Cone, and Mermaid Wine Glass? Not too hard is it? That's the beauty of common names although common names have flaws as well since different common names spring up in different parts of the world. Both scientific names and common names have their place but it is interesting to find that enough people are looking at and enjoying the beautiful marine algae enough to be giving them common names.
So hopefully, we've helped redeem the algae a bit today and maybe when it warms up and green growth appears on your favorite water spot, you'll think twice before you mutter "pond scum". Everyone needs a little redemption!