Write a note on economic importance of Algae and Bryophytes.

Explanation

1). About 50% of carbon fixation is done by algae by photosynthesis. Thus by photosynthesis `O_2` is released into · environment.
2) Algae are primary producers for all aquatic animals in food cycle.
3) Many species of Porphyra, Laminaria and Sargassum are among the 70 species of mariñe algae used as food.
4) Brown algae and Red algae produce large amounts of hydrocolloids (water holding substances). & algin (brown algae) and carrageen (red algae) which are used commercially.
5) Agar obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria is used to grow microbes and preparations of ice-creams and jellies.
6) lodine is extracted from kelps like Laminaria.
7) Chlorella and Spirullina are unicellular algae used as food. supplements even by space travellers. Economic importance of bryophytės (mosses) :
1) Mosses provide food for herbaceous mammals, birds and other animals.
2) Sphagum provides peat used as fuel, because of its water holding capacity, they are used as packing material for trans shipment of living material.
3) Mosses along with lichens are the first organisms to colonise rocks and hence they have great ecological importance.
4) They decompose rock making it suitable for the growth of higher plants, hence, they play important role in plant succession.
5). Mosses form dense mats on the soil, they reduce the impact of falling rain and prevent soil erosion.