Which algae group includes kelp?

Which algae group includes kelp?

• A. Brown Algae
• B. Red Algae
• C. Green Algae
• D. Blue-green Algae

Answer: (A)

Kelp belongs to the brown algae group, which is identified by the pigment fucoxanthin that gives a brown color and masks the green of chlorophyll. Brown algae are mostly marine and can form large, complex seaweeds like kelp forests, with body structures adapted for attachment and buoyancy such as holdfasts, stipes, blades, and gas-filled bladders. They store energy in compounds like laminarin and mannitol, and their cell walls often contain alginates. In contrast, red algae gain their reddish hue from phycoerythrin and live in different depths, green algae contain chlorophylls a and b, and blue-green algae are cyanobacteria, not true algae. This combination of pigment, habitat, and body structure places kelp squarely with the brown algae.

Kelp belongs to the brown algae group, which is identified by the pigment fucoxanthin that gives a brown color and masks the green of chlorophyll. Brown algae are mostly marine and can form large, complex seaweeds like kelp forests, with body structures adapted for attachment and buoyancy such as holdfasts, stipes, blades, and gas-filled bladders. They store energy in compounds like laminarin and mannitol, and their cell walls often contain alginates. In contrast, red algae gain their reddish hue from phycoerythrin and live in different depths, green algae contain chlorophylls a and b, and blue-green algae are cyanobacteria, not true algae. This combination of pigment, habitat, and body structure places kelp squarely with the brown algae.