Algae can produce their own food by photosynthesis, so why do they need to associate with other organisms? The answer is simple: protection. Single celled algae are susceptible to predation and water loss. By themselves, they cannot survive out of…
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Before there were computers, cars, cell phones, hospitals, even humans all together, there were microbes. Microbes have played a huge role in the history of mankind and continue to be a major player in medicine, food and drug development, and…
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Fungi move mainly by growing. The cells in fungal hyphae divide and grow and this stretches the hyphal threads out into the soil or whatever substrates the fungi are using. This is a good strategy for reaching nearby food sources…
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By what means do fungi travel? Many fungal colonies begin as spores that are carried on the wind, making them a source of allergies every year. Once they find hospitable environments in which to grow, they settle down. If nutrients are…
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Algae are aquatic organisms that carry out photosynthesis. They live in fresh and salt water, and can also live in or on plants and in the soil if there is enough moisture. Many algae consist of a single cell and…
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One theory of the evolution of microorganisms on earth is the Microevolution. It is believed that single- celled organisms began to mutate and undergo gene alteration to form other organisms. This gene alteration and mutation occurred because of the action…
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The Fungi Kingdom presents a variety of spore types that utilize mechanisms that are not seen in any other group of organisms. Chytridiomycoda, Blastiocladiomycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Ascomycota, Zygomycota, Glomeromycota, and Basidiomycota make up the major phyla of fungi. Sexual and asexual…
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The most likely scenario for humans to become extinct is that we cannot alter our behavior patterns. The normal event is that a species emerges to fill a niche, lives there for a while, then, when that environment changes, unless…
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Microorganisms are so numerous and varied that they have served not one but many roles in earth’s evolution. In the modern world, microorganisms are found everywhere and fulfill numerous roles. In the oceans, algae, protozoa and bacteria are the most…
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Algae are aquatic organisms that produce their own food from sunlight, carbon dioxide and water, through photosynthesis. They range in size from microscopic single-celled algae to the giant kelp, which can grow to over 60 m (200 ft) long. Most…
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