Characean algae
(Science: organism) class of filamentous green algae exemplified by the genus chara, in which the mitotic spindle is not surrounded by a nuclear envelope. Probably the closest relatives, among the algae, to higher plants. The giant internodal cells (up to 5cm long) exhibit dramatic cyclosis and have been much used for studies on ion transport and cytoplasmic streaming.
Lotic communities have conditions that are rather harsh for typical plants. Thus, the diversity of plant species in lotic habitats is smaller than in lentic habitats. Find out why in this tutorial...
This tutorial looks at some of the communities in freshwater lentic habitats. For instance, symbiosis occurs in a community of hydrophytes providing a substrate for algae. In return, the algae prevent excessive herbivory of hydrophytes by serving as food to the herbivores. Know more details here...
The movement of molecules (specifically, water and solutes) is vital to the understanding of plant processes. This tutorial will be more or less a quick review of the various principles of water motion in reference to plants. ..
Bryophytes are a plant group characterized by being nonvascular. They include the mosses, the liverworts, and the hornworts. These groups of plants require external water, usually in the form of dew or rain. Some bryophytes grow exclusively in dark, damp environments in order to provide moisture. Find out more about them here...
This tutorial noted some of the physical and chemical factors that provide the framework of a running water community in which organisms in their favored ecological niches occupy. Learn how each of these factors affects lotic communities in this tutorial...