Written Reports

Trysten Burnham &

Dominique Foote

Background report

October 24,2013

Algae, in all its forms, are a beneficial and versatile organism. I am going to explain, what algae is, its uses, how it affects its environment, and why I have chosen this topic.

            Algae are small microorganisms, that can be found almost anywhere in the world. There are a plethora of different variations and species of algae for different marine environments. In my experiment I will be focusing of one type, closterium, (Bellinger, E & Sigee, D) which can be found in fresh water ponds, lakes, and streams. In my case this subspecies can be easily found and collected in my hometown of Skagway, Alaska. Closterium at a microscopic level has the shape of an elongated diamond with a mix of light and dark green. Another interesting attribute this strain of algae, like most others have is that it thrives indoors with warm temperatures.

            Algae are very useful in people’s lives and it is surprising how many uses there are for this organism. With the many variations of algae there comes many positive ways of using them such as algae based biodiesel and algae-derived jet fuel. Another example is batteries made of closterium lunula algae, which can be charged in ten seconds, as well as not containing any harmful chemicals. Lastly, algae can be used to filter water and air by removing unwanted nutrients from ponds, as well as the potential to remove carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorous from the air from power plants (Wiles , D).

            As I had stated Algae are found in many environments and have a big impact on the ecosystem. A numerous amount of organisms relay on algae for food for example fish, tadpoles, and water dwelling insects. If certain spices of algae were to drastically reduce in numbers, it could be catastrophic for another’s survival. When red tides (harmful algal blooms) happen it is because of an increased growth in a specific type of algae and produces toxic chemicals, which can kill fish and other sea creatures, as well as make shellfish harmful to humans and other animals.   

            My partner and I have chosen this topic because it pertains to sea life, this could affect people who relay on the fish that eat algae as a source of income. If the algae were to vanish these people would be out of work. Also sense we live in Alaska there are many lakes, rivers, ponds, and ocean all around us with algae as residents, while fulfilling a great purpose in the ecosystem.

            In conclusion people and thousands of organisms need algae in order to thrive and survive. It is not just a source of food but also a clean renewable source of energy.

                                                                   Bibliography

 

Debbie Sniderman. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.asme.org/engineering-topics/articles/bioengineering/scaling-algae-growth-for-biofuels

Bott, T.. L.. (2013, Aug. 26 ). In Effects of No. 2 Fuel Oil, Nigerian Crude Oil, and Used Crankcase Oil on Attached Algal Communities: Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Water-Soluble Constituents. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC243120/

Lenntech,. (Year, Month. Day ). In Algae description and types. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2013, from http://www.lenntech.com/eutrophication-water-bodie

otocinclus,. (Year, Month. Day ). In Types of Algae and How To Control Them. Retrieved Oct. 18, 2013, from http://www.otocinclus.com/articles/algae.html

Leon, R (1024/13 ). Types of Algae. retrieved 10/24/13, from cichlid-forum Web Site: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/algae_types.php

Wiles , D 10 ingenious uses for slimy algae. (n.d) retrieved October 24, 2013, from sweden Web Site: http://www.sweden.se/eng/home/society/sustainability/reading/10-ingenious-uses-for-slimy-algae/

Bellinger, E & Sigee, D (2010). Freshwater Algae: Identification and Use as Bioindicators. ohn Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Pg. 75, From http://www.ces.iisc.ernet.in/energy/stc/biomonitoring_of_wetlands/keys_freshwater_algae.pdf






 

Trysten Burnham &

Dominique Foote

Background report outline

October 30,2013

Intro: Algae, in all its forms, are a beneficial and versatile organism. I am going to explain, what algae is, its uses, how it affects its environment, and why I have chosen this topic.

1.     Body

          i. what is algae

              A. found everywhere

              B. examples of locations

              C. why I chose closterium

         ii. its uses

A.     bio fuels

B.     green batteries

C.     air & water filtration

        iii. how it affects its environment

A.     algae as prey

B.     if it were to reduce in numbers

C.     red tides

       iiii. why we have chosen this topic

A.     effect on sea life

B.     effect on economy 

C.     where we live

Conclusion: In conclusion people and thousands of organisms need algae in order to thrive and survive. It is not just a source of food but also a clean renewable source of energy.