INTER DISCIPLINARY PROJECT

CLASS: X SCIENCE

ENVIRONMENT

GROUP MEMBERS: MATHAN RAJAN. S (C) HARISH. P (C) HARISH. G HARSH JAIN.P JAYA SURYA. J KIRAN RAJ. N MAHESH ARAVIND. V

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION

ULVA LACTUCA

LICHEN

STOECHOSPERMUM POLYPODIODIES

CURRENT PROJECTS AND INSTITUTIONS

FOOD CHAIN

MARINE ECOSYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

Marine ecosystemsare among the largest of Earth'saquatic ecosystems. They includeoceans,salt marshes,intertidal zones,estuaries,lagoons,mangroves,coral reefs, thedeep sea, and thesea floor. They can be contrasted withfreshwater ecosystems, which have a lowersaltcontent. Marine waters cover two-thirds of the surface of the Earth.Marine ecosystems are very important for the overall health of both marine and terrestrial environments.

CHENNAI:Surface associated bacteria of marine algae have a role to play in antifouling strategy for marine algae. In the present study, totally 15 epiphytic bacterial isolates were obtained from two marine algae of Kovalam Beach, Chennai, using specially designed media.

Available marine algae was found on the rocky shores of Kovalam Beach, (1250N, 7945E) Chennai, Tamil Nadu, during the month of December. The marine algae were identified as Stoechospermum polypodioides and Ulva lactuca.

ULVA LACTUCA

Ulva lactucaLinnaeus, agreen algain the divisionChlorophyta, is thetype speciesof the genusUlva, also known by the common name sea lettuce.

Kingdom:Plantae

Phylum:Chlorophyta

Class:Ulvophyceae

Order:Ulvales

Family:Ulvaceae

Genus:Ulva

Species:U. lactuca

DESCRIPTION:

Ulva lactucais a thin flat green alga growing from a discoidholdfast. The margin is somewhat ruffled and often torn. It may reach 18 centimetres (7.1in) or more in length, though generally much less, and up to 30 centimetres (12in) acrossThe membrane is two cells thick, soft and translucent, and grows attached, without astipe, to rocks or other algae by a small disc-shapedholdfast.Green to dark green in colour, this species in the Chlorophyta is formed of two layers ofcellsirregularly arranged, as seen in cross-section. Thechloroplastis cup-shaped in some references but as a parietal plate in otherswith one to threepyrenoids. There are other species ofUlvawhich are similar and not always easy to differentiate.

LICHEN

Alichenis a composite organism that arises fromalgaeorcyanobacteria(or both) living among filaments of afungusin amutually beneficial relationship (symbiotic relationship).The combined life form has properties that are very different from the properties of its component organisms. Lichens come in many colors, sizes, and forms. The properties are sometimes plant-like, but lichens are not plants. Lichens may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose), flat leaf-like structures (foliose), flakes that lie on the surface like peeling paint (crustose),or other growth forms. Lichens do not have roots that absorb water and nutrients as plants do but like plants they produce their own food by photosynthesis using sunlight energy, from carbon dioxide, water and minerals in their environment.When they grow on plants, they do not live asparasitesand only use the plants as a substrate.

STOECHOSPERMUM POLYPODIODIESKingdom:Chromista

Phylum:Ochrophyta

Class:Phaeophyceae

Order:Dictyotales

Family:Dictyotaceae

Genus:Stoechospermum

Species:Stoechospermum polypodioides

Institutions in Chennai which focus on Marine ecosystem

National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai

National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), pallikaranai, Chennai

Institute of Ocean Management (IOM), Anna University, Chennai

Projects accomplished in Chennai Marine Ecosystem

integrated Coastal and Marine area Management Project Directorate (ICMAM PD), Pallikaranai, Chennai

FOOD CHAINAlgae are prominent in bodies of water, common in terrestrial environments and are found in unusual environments, such ason snowand on ice. Seaweeds grow mostly in shallow marine waters, under 100 metres (330ft); however, some have been recorded to a depth of 360 metres (1,180ft). The various sorts of algae play significant roles in aquatic ecology. Microscopic forms that live suspended in the water column (phytoplankton) provide the food base for most marinefood chains. In very high densities (algal blooms) these algae may discolor the water and outcompete, poison, orasphyxiateother life forms.Algae are variously sensitive to different factors, which has made them useful as biological indicators in theBallantine Scaleand its modification.On the basis of their habitat, algae can be categorized as:aquatic(planktonic,benthic,marine,freshwater),terrestrialaerial(subareial),lithophytic,halophytic(oreuryhaline),psammon,thermophilic,cryophilic,epibiont(epiphytic,epizoic),endosymbiont(endophytic,endozoic),parasitic,calcifilicorlichenic(phycobiont).