Glossary for presentation on algae

Glossary

endosymbiotic: living within the tissues or cells of another organism.

epiphyte: plants which live attached to other plants but which do not derive any nutrition from the host in the relationship.

eukaryote: cells characterized by an organized nucleus and other membrane-bound sub-cellular structures.

filament: a simple or branched chain of connected cells.

food web: a diagrammatic representation of the complete set of trophic (pertaining to feeding or nutrition) relationships of an organism.

intertidal zone: the region of the seashore between the highest high tide and the lowest low tide.

organ differentiation: the tendency of tissues to form specialised structures recognisable as organs.

organic products: during the process of photosynthesis, plants and photosynthetic bacteria use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates, the organic products of the process.

parenchymatous: having relatively unspecialised tissue usually composed of thin-walled cells which are often present in great numbers, forming a ground tissue in which other tissues may be embedded.

photoautotrophic: applies to organisms that use light as a source of energy to produce their own food.

phycology: the study of algae.

phytoplankton: microscopic photosynthetic members of the plankton; plankton being free-floating, usually minute organisms.

polyphyletic: having many lines of evolution leading up to the final organism.

prokaryotic: lacking the structural complexity and defined nucleus found in eucaryotes.

subtidal zone: below the range of tidal exposure; always covered by water.

symbiosis: an intimate and prolonged association between two or more organisms in which at least one partner obtains some benefit from the relationship.

taxonomic: based on the principles of classification.

unicellular: organism consisting of one cell.

vascular tissue: conductive tissue i.e. xylem and phloem.

zooxanthellae: symbiotic unicellular dinoflagellates (microscopic organisms) found in corals, sea anemones, mollusks and several other types of marine animals.