Algae are known to reproduce asexually by variety of spores under the different environmental conditions . What are the spores and different conditions under which they are produced ?
1 Answer
Asexual reproduction takes place by the formation of various types of sporangia. The spores escape from the parent plants, undergo germination and give rise to new plants.
Explanation:
Algae reproduce asexually by a variety of spores such as ,
1) Zoospores : these are flagelated , often with an eyespot. Normally these are formed under favourable conditions e.g. Chlamydomonas.
In Vaucheria, compound zoospores called synzoospore are formed.
2) Aplanospores : these are non motile thin walled zoospores , formed by cleavage of protoplasts within a cell. They are formed under unfavourable conditions e.g. Ulothrix
3) Akinetes : these are formed under unfavourable conditions as method of perinnation. They are thick walled and non motile. On release they form new thalli e.g. Anabaena
4) Hypnospores: these are thick walled aplanospores and are formed during unfavourable conditions. Under prolonged unfavourable conditions the protoplasm of Hypnospores divides to make cysts e.g. Chlamydomonas nivalis.
5) Tetraspores : these are haploid thin walled non motile spores formed after reduction division in diploid tetrasporangia e.g. members of Rhodophyceae and Phaeophceae.
6) Autospores : these are similar to the parent cell. In Chlorella and Scenedesmus autospores acquire all characteristics of parent cells before their discharge from sporangium.
