In the vast and rich ocean, there are many kinds of marine plants besides all kinds of animals. Marine plants can be simply divided into two categories: lower algae plants and higher seed value plants.
Algae vary greatly in size. The smallest marine unicellular algae is very small and can only be seen under a microscope, while the largest giant algae can reach 200-300 meters long, which is the highest among algae. There are few kinds of seed plants in the ocean, such as kelp and mangroves.
Marine benthos are "fertile grasslands" in the marine world. It is not only a natural "pasture" for marine fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, marine animals and other animals, but also a green food for human beings, a widely used supplier of industrial raw materials and agricultural fertilizers, and an important raw material for manufacturing marine drugs. Some algae, such as giant algae, can also be used as energy substitutes. Light is the energy of marine plants, temperature is the growth factor of marine plants, and mineral nutrients are nutrients of marine plants.
Seaweed is a big family of marine life. There are more than 8,000 species of unicellular diatoms and dinoflagellates, up to several hundred meters. Brown algae is a unique algae position in the ocean, which is characterized by its huge volume. Macroalgae, fuciformes, cysticercus, kelp and Sargassum are famous brown algae. Kelp is a favorite seafood in China. It is not only rich in seafood, but also nutritious, containing minerals and vitamins such as iodine, which can prevent and treat thyroid diseases (commonly known as big neck). Seaweeds with edible and medicinal value include laver, Undaria pinnatifida and cauliflower, which are very familiar to our people. People in eastern countries such as China and Japan have a long history of eating seaweed and using it as medicine. Historically, British sailors used red algae to prevent scurvy; In the history of the Irish people, there are also records of relying on red algae and green algae to spend the famine year. The habit of eating seaweed in western countries is not as common as that in eastern countries. An oceanographer from western countries once lamented that eating seaweed in China and Japan is as common as eating tomatoes in the United States and Britain. He hopes that one day, westerners will develop the habit of eating seaweed like orientals.
Algae is an ancient and primitive equivalent, which is widely distributed in rivers, lakes and oceans. This is a large class of plants, with many kinds and forms.
Algae are lower autotrophic plants containing chlorophyll and other accessory pigments. Plants are single-celled, single-celled or multicellular. Algae has no real difference between roots, stems and leaves, and the whole plant is a simple thallus. All parts of algae have the function of making organic matter, so algae is also called thallus.
Seaweed is the main body of marine plants and a great natural wealth of human beings. At present, there are more than 100 kinds of algae that can be used as food. Scientists divide algae into planktonic algae and benthic algae according to their living habits.