BACK TO THE SEA
  • About
    • Who we are
    • Meet the team
    • Our Supporters
  • À propos
    • Qui sommes-nous
    • Rencontrez l'équipe
    • Nos supporteurs
  • Explore
    • Back to the Sea Centre
    • Tidal Trekkers
    • Online Education
    • Events
  • Explorez
    • Education en ligne
    • Rando-marées
    • Devenez bénévole
    • La Touch Tank Hut
  • News
    • Blog
    • Media
    • Newsletter
  • Nouvelles
    • Événements
    • Médias
    • Infolettre
  • Join our team
    • Volunteer
  • Contact
  • Nous joindre
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Shop
  • Nous soutenir
    • Faites un don
​

Interested in all things ocean?

Check out our blog posts below!

I SPY, GREEN ALGAE

3/15/2022

0 Comments

 
by Kaitlin Burek

“I spy, with my little eye, something that is green” is a difficult prompt at the best of times but is especially difficult on St. Patrick’s Day. If asked, my guesses would be:

1.The dog bed in my living room
2.The apples in my fruit bowl
3.The green algae in my vase of tulips

In fact, green algae (Chlorophyta) would almost always be one of my guesses as you can “spy it” everywhere: lakes, rivers, ponds, oceans, soils, snow, lichens. The diversity in habitats lends itself to a wide diversity of green algae species. Estimates suggest there are between than 7,000-10,000 species worldwide making green algae the most diverse of the algal groups (catch up on Rhodophyta/red algae and Phaeophyta/brown algae)!

 Check out some examples of green algae species below.

Picture
Oyster Thief (Codium fragile)
Picture
Desmid (Micrasterias)
Picture
Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca)
Picture
Mermaid’s Tresses (Spirogyra)
All photo credits: Kaitlin Burek

Although green algae can be a nuisance to some – coating docks, clogging filters, stinking-up shorelines, creating blooms – it should be celebrated by all. Green algae serves as a vital food source for many aquatic organisms (e.g., snails, turtles) and creates a lot of the oxygen we breathe.

​Not only that, it also serves as a great St. Patrick’s Day challenge:
“I spy, with my little eye, green algae”
​
Picture
Kaitlin is a self-identified ocean lover and wannabe communicator who has been volunteering with Back to the Sea for years. Equipped with a degree in marine biology, she is an avid advocate for ocean literacy, curiosity, and stewardship and feels passionate about collaborating with others to make information available and accessible. Working by day and blogging by night, she aims to post about all the interesting, fascinating, and just plain weird happenings that occur in the ocean.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Collect Hold And Release
    Cool Species!
    Cool Species Algae!
    Cool Species - Algae!
    Events
    Field Work
    Guest Post
    In The News
    Plogging
    Touch Tank Hut


    ​
    Subscribe to our e-list
    We send blog recaps with in all our quarterly newsletters!
    ♡ Support our work
Back to the Sea works in the traditional land of the Mi'kmaq people.

Contact
info@backtothesea.ca
(902)-817-2007
Visiting Hours
Currently closed for the season.
Follow our socials to stay up to date on our return.

  • About
    • Who we are
    • Meet the team
    • Our Supporters
  • À propos
    • Qui sommes-nous
    • Rencontrez l'équipe
    • Nos supporteurs
  • Explore
    • Back to the Sea Centre
    • Tidal Trekkers
    • Online Education
    • Events
  • Explorez
    • Education en ligne
    • Rando-marées
    • Devenez bénévole
    • La Touch Tank Hut
  • News
    • Blog
    • Media
    • Newsletter
  • Nouvelles
    • Événements
    • Médias
    • Infolettre
  • Join our team
    • Volunteer
  • Contact
  • Nous joindre
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • Shop
  • Nous soutenir
    • Faites un don