Algae

Algae are a large and diverse group of autotrophic organisms. Algae can be unicellular or multicellular but the largest and most complex marine type is seaweed. Algae can come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and have different functions. Algae are helpful to our world because they are photosynthetic and they produce a large amount of oxygen in our atmosphere. Some algae can also control pollution and that can be very helpful. Algae are everywhere in our world and they take role in many different ways in their environment. Hopefully they will continue to exist and be primary producers.

Chemosynthetic Bacteria

Chemosynthetic bacteria are bacteria that make food through chemosynthesis. Chemosynthesis is a process that converts carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter by oxidizing inorganic molecules. Chemosynthesis takes carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen sulfide, and oxygen to make formaldehyde and sulphuric acid. By this process, these chemosynthetic bacteria don't need any sunlight to make energy. Chemosynthetic bacteria are one of the oldest life forms on Earth and most are found near the hydrothermal vents deep underwater. These microbes are relatively important to the hydrothermal vent community because without them, the vent organisms could not get any food and they would die. Without these chemosynthetic bacteria, there would be no organisms near hydrothermal vents and there wouldn't be a chemosynthetic cycle.

Week 4 in marine biology.

This week in marine biology class, we talked about the basics of biology. We talked about carbohydrates, the building blocks of life, and the structures of some important molecules. We talked about the cell, some of its organelles, photosynthesis, respiration, diffusion, osmosis, and much more. On Monday, we wrote a page essay on one of the questions in our chapter 4 reading. Last week, we got our own 20 gallon tanks and we can put whatever we can fit in them. I'm not sure what I want to put in my tank yet, but I do know that I want it to be a cool looking fish.