ALGAL-INVERTEBRATE

SYMBIOSIS
Karalyn and Shannon
SYMBIOSIS
 Close and often long-term interactions between different
biological species

 Endosymbiosis – any symbiotic relationship in which

one symbiont lives within the tissues of the other, either
in the intracellular space or extracellularly
 Ectosymbiosis (exosymbiosis) – any symbiotic
relationship in which the symbiont lives on the body
surface of the host, including the inner surface of the
digestive tract or the ducts of exocrine glands
TYPES OF SYMBIOSIS
 Mutualistic symbiosis – both species share benefits
 Commensal symbiosis – one species is benefitted at no
cost to the other
 Parasitic symbiosis – one species is benefitted at cost to
another
ALGAL SYMBIOSIS
 In general, when algae is involved in a symbiotic
relationship, it is as a primary producer supplying a
symbiotic partner with food; the host organism derives
some or all of its energy requirements from the algae

 If the relationship is mutualistic, the host organism in

exchange often provides protection to the algal cells

 Algae can also help the invertebrate partner with waste

elimination, often by consuming wastes
CORAL REEF SYMBIOSIS -
ZOOXANTHELLAE
 Coral reefs are accumulated from the calcareous
exoskeletons of marine invertebrates (cniderians)
 Dinoflagellate algae are often endosymbionts in the cells
of marine invertebrates, where they generate
immediately available sugar and oxygen through
photosynthesis using incident light and the carbon
dioxide produced in the host

 Zooxanthellae – a broad classification of dinoflagellate

coral reef endosymbiont algae
CORAL “BLEACHING”
 When a coral reef ecosystem is very unhealthy, the coral
turn white and looks “bleached”
 “Bleached” coral reefs are reefs in which their
Zooxanthellae have left or died
TUBE WORMS
 Hydrothermal vent tube worm and chemosynthetic algae
symbiosis
 Rely on bacteria to turn oxygen, hydrogen sulfide,
carbon dioxide, etc. into organic molecules via
chemosynthesis
 Chemosynthesis: the biological conversion of
molecules/nutrients into organic matter
SHIP WORMS
 Ship worms are actually molluscs that burrow into wood
(eg. Ships)
 Ship worms need nitrogen; can’t get it from the ships
that eat
 Use nitrogen-fixing bacteria to provide the host with the
nitrogen it doesn’t get from food
 These nitrogen fixing bacteria are actually found in the
gills of ship worms and convert atmospheric nitrogen
into useful forms such as ammonia
LIMPETS AND CORALLINE ALGAE
 Coralline algae grow another layer of green algae on top
of it, blocking out the sun’s rays preventing
photosynthesis from occurring
 Limpets use a strong radula to scrape off the invading
algae
 The limpet gets food and the coralline algae get light,
facilitating growth and reproductivity
REFERENCES
 Taylor, Dennis L. (1983). "The coral-algal symbiosis". In Goff,
Lynda J. Algal Symbiosis: A Continuum of Interaction
Strategies. CUP Archive. pp. 19–20.
 http://uwsp.edu/cnr/UWEXlakes/laketides/vol26-4/vol26-4.pdf

 Chapman, V.J. (1950). Seaweeds and their Uses. London:

Methuen & Co. Ltd.
 Lembi, C.A.; Waaland, J.R. (1988). Algae and Human Affairs.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
 Round, F E (1981). The Ecology of Algae. London: Cambridge
University Press.
 Mumford, T F; Miura, A (1988). "Porphyra as food: cultivation
and economic". In Lembi, C A; Waaland, J R. Algae and
Human Affairs. Cambridge University Press. pp. 87–117.
A LITTLE EXTRA…
 http://www.cafepress.com/+
funny-blue-green-algae-design+t-shirts
 “Blue-Green Algae Lover”
 “Give Me Blue-Green Algae

or Give Me Death”
 “In Case of Emergency, Feed

Me Blue-Green Algae”
 “Money Can’t Buy Love, But

it Can Buy Blue-Green Algae”