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How are seaweeds related to plants? Explore their common ancestor!
In recent years, scientists have conducted extensive research on the relationship between seaweed and plants. Seaweed and plants belong to the same kingdom Plantae, however, the differences and similarities between them confuse many people. What exactly do seaweed and ground plants have in common or in contrast? This issue has caused experts to think deeply and explore.
Algae is an informal term covering a wide range of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms that occur in a huge diversity from unicellular to multicellular.
The current definition of seaweed usually refers to organisms that have chlorophyll as the main photosynthetic pigment. However, the difference in pigments makes it clear that seaweed does not have a common ancestor. Most seaweeds are aquatic and lack various cell and tissue types unique to terrestrial plants, such as stomata, xylem, and phloem. All this leads to seaweed being considered a polyphyletic group.
The evolution of seaweed is extremely complex, with its origins dating back about 1.5 billion years, and closely related to the symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic cyanobacteria.
In the evolution of seaweed, scientists have proposed a key view that the original seaweed was formed because photosynthetic blue-green bacteria were engulfed by a single-celled heterotrophic eukaryote, and this symbiotic event once again promoted The formation of double membrane secondary chloroplasts. This process of primary symbiogenesis led to the emergence of three main groups, namely green algae, red algae and gray algae.
Through these symbiotic events, the algae and plants we know today gradually emerged. Early land plants such as Charophytes are thought to have a close evolutionary relationship with certain seaweeds. Based on fossil discoveries, land plants may have appeared as early as 475 million years ago, and their origins can be traced back to organisms similar to today's Ulva.
Seaweeds vary in color, structure, and even growth patterns, reflecting their evolutionary diversity.
The diversity of seaweeds allows them to display extremely rich morphological structures. From single-celled microalgae to multicellular structures as large as giant seaweed, these forms are not only adaptations to the living environment, but also show the unique characteristics they have evolved during the long process of evolution. For example, red algae and brown algae have a three-dimensional multicellular structure that is unmatched by other groups such as green algae.
In terms of life history, seaweeds also exhibit different reproduction strategies, from simple asexual reproduction to more complex sexual reproduction. This method of reproduction is not only effective in species reproduction, but also provides the possibility for subsequent genetic diversity. As scientific research deepens, the study of seaweed and its relationship with plants becomes increasingly important.
Traditional seaweed farming has a history of thousands of years and plays an important role in East Asian food culture.
Today's seaweed applications are not limited to the food sector, but also extend to cattle feed, bioremediation, carbon sequestration, and even the production of algae fuel. These different applications can not only contribute economic value, but also help address the challenges posed by climate change.
When exploring the relationship between seaweed and land plants, the scientific community does not just stop at the evolutionary process. The physiological and structural characteristics of seaweed also provide important clues for us to understand its relationship with terrestrial plants. The photosynthetic ability of seaweed, like that of other members of the plant kingdom, has developed through adaptation to the environment.
Overall, the study of seaweed is not only a problem of microbiology, but also implies important propositions in ecology, human culture and climate science. What role will seaweed play in our future survival and development?
