Biology of the Algae Lab

Oxygen bubbles, green algae, and a snail.

EEB 3250/5250 Lab, FALL 2014

Mondays 1:25-4:25pm
TA: Simona Augyte
Contact: simona.augyte@uconn.edu

Stephanie doing a plankton tow at Mirror Pond. Photo by S.Augyte.

General Info
The labs will follow the syllabus outlined on the Biology of the Algae HuskyCT site. Lab handouts will be posted there 1-2 weeks ahead of the lab. It will save you some time and stress if you read the handout before the lab.

Matt and Taylor collecting freshwater algae from a stream on campus. Photo by S.Augyte.

Lab 1 - August 25

Introduction. Field trip around campus to collect microalgae using a plankton net.

FIELD TRIP - September 6

New London low tide 1:48PM of 0.04ft.

Lab 2 - September 8

Brown Algae
Will make colorful algal beads from brown algal extracts, recipe courtesy of PSA.

Steve and Amy adding color to the sodium alginate mix. Photo by S.Augyte.

Jacqueline, Amy, Silvana, and Jennifer adding colorful beads to calcium chloride. Photo by S. Augyte.

Final product - colorful algal beads. Photo by S. Augyte.

A very small Ceramium collected at Avery Point, Sept. 15, 2012. Photo by P. Lewis.

Hard at work pressing algae, Avery Point, Sept. 15, 2012. Photo by P. Lewis.

Algal jello, Sept. 27, 2012. Photo by Daniel Cole.

Coenocytic green - dead man's fingers. Photo by S.Augyte.

Dr. Lewis found a filamentous green. Photo by S.Augyte.

Reflection of Bone Mill Pond. Photo by S.Augyte.

Angela taking a plankton tow at Pine Lake. Photo by S.Augyte.

Links

If you know what organism you are looking for, you will likely find it here. No pictures though.
Some info on macroscopic marine algae.
Here you can find information on some of the morphologically most impressive algae - diatoms and desmids.
More about desmids here.

• Virtual Phycology Collection at the George Stafford Torrey Herbarium, University of Connecticut. This contains over 800 images of pressed, dried algae on herbarium sheets.