What is the difference between multicellular algae and unicellular algae

Most plants are highly vascular organisms. They have complex root and shoot systems consisting of connective tissues that help transport food and water through the body.

These xylem and phloem bundles are essential for the transportation of minerals as well as water. The body of a plant has several parts like the shoot, branches, leaves, roots, etc. Each part has a specific function to perform. Most plants are found on the surface of the earth, tethered to the soil. Although, one can also find aquatic plants growing on the seafloor.

However, in both cases, the mobility of a plant is extremely limited. People often tend to get confused between algae and plants. Both species are autotrophs that use sunlight to self-produce food and energy. Although at certain instances they may appear to be overwhelmingly similar, there are some potent and insurmountable differences between the two.

Algae are organisms belonging to the Protista Kingdom. They may be unicellular or multicellular organisms occurring in colonies without a vascular system. While plants are members of the Plantae Kingdom and have complex vascular bundles that transport water and food throughout the system.

Some of the major organelles include the nucleus, mitochondria, lysosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the Golgi apparatus. Plant cells also include chloroplasts, which are responsible for photosynthesis.

Use these classroom resources to examine how cells function with your students. Even the most basic parts of a cell can enable complex cellular processes, and multifunctional organelles expand these capabilities to make advanced activities possible for higher life-forms. Organelles are specialized structures that perform various tasks inside cells. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.

Skip to content. Image frontonia protist There are many types of unicellular organisms in the world, including protists like this one, which feed mainly on diatoms, amoebas, bacteria, and algae.

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Related Resources. Cell Functions. View Collection. Cells and the Versatile Functions of Their Parts. Algae and plants are similar in that they can produce their own food from nutrients and sunlight by photosynthesis. The main difference between the two is in their complexity. Algae are simple organisms, sometimes unicellular, and even the largest types are relatively simple in structure.

What are true plants? True Plants. The kingdom Plantae includes green plants such as ferns, mosses, grasses, trees, and flowering plants. Some true plants produce flowers; others don't. The plants with which we are most familiar are the vascular plants. What is the difference between algae and a plant? Algae can either be unicellular and multi-cellular while plants are multi-cellular organisms. Algae typically live underwater while plants thrive on land.

They don't have structures such as connective tissues, leaves, stems and roots unlike plants. What is algae made of? The cell walls of green algae are mostly constructed of cellulose, with some incorporation of hemicellulose, and calcium carbonate in some species. The food reserves of green algae are starch, and their cells can have two or more organelles known as flagella, which are used in a whip-like fashion for locomotion.

What is the difference between algae and seaweed? Algae could be both unicellular and multi-cellular, whereas seaweeds are necessarily multi-cellular. All the seaweed species are autotrophic, whereas some algal species rely on other external food materials. Algae inhabit both freshwater and marine waters, while seaweeds inhabit only seawaters. How do algae help humans? Algae is commonly found in many wastewater treatment plants, which are designed to remove biological waste or chemical waste from water.

Algae is quick to grow and helps control pollution by consuming carbon dioxide CO2 emissions that may be pumped into a water tank or pond. Why is algae so important?