Rhodophyta otherwise known as red algae falls under the category of Phytoplankton. There are about 6000 species of Red Algae known today.(aquaticcommunity.com) They come in the form of both single celled organism and multi cellular plantlike organisms.
Red Algae exsists in every habitat of the ocean and it can attach itself to almost anything likes rocks, ships, docks, etc. It also is an important structural part of coral reefs.
Red Algae depends on photosynthesis which is why it only exsists in the epipelagic and in some cases the mesopelagic zones of the ocean. These two layers make up the top two layers of the ocean. They can exist in deeper waters than other algae because they absorb blue light which has a greater wavelength than most other colors. This means that the greater the wave length, the further something can travel.
Red Algae contains a much lower count of chlorophyll which is what usually absorbs light in other algae. Red algae contain a high amount phycobilins which take the place of the chlorophyll and can absorb more light which is why red algae can exist in deeper waters.
Red algae is red because of the pigment phycoerythrin which reflects the red light back. This pigment also helps absorb the blue light rays which penetrate deeper into the ocean.
Red Algae is a very important part of both the ocean and atmosphere. This is because Red Algae produce a very large amount of oxygen. Calcium carbonate helps red algae to form coral reef structures. Red Algae can be harmful when they spawn in huge blooms because they release a large amount of toxins which can poison both fish and humans.(serc.carleton.edu) Red Algae can take the form of and even completely make up a coral reef.They can form a carbonate shell similar to that of a regular coral reef and are extremely wave resistant. Dead Red Algae make up a significant part of semiment in the warmer coastal areas.
Red Algae makes up the bottom starting point of the food chain for marine organisms. Some say that the oxygen that Red Algae produces is so important that without Red Algae the skies wouldn’t be blue.
Citations
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/algae-control/red.php
http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/redtide/
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