Phycology

Phycology

Phycology (from Greek _gr. φύκος, "phykos", "seaweed"; and _gr. -λογία, "-logia") or algology (from Latin _la. "alga", also "seaweed"), a subdiscipline of botany, is the scientific study of algae. Algae are important as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems. Most algae are eukaryotic, photosynthetic organisms that live in a wet environment. They are distinguished from the higher plants by a lack of true roots, stems or leaves. Many species are single-celled and microscopic (including phytoplankton and other microalgae); many others are multicellular to one degree or another, some of these growing to large size (for example, seaweeds such as kelp and "Sargassum").

Phycology also includes the study of prokaryotic forms known as blue-green algae or cyanobacteria. A number of microscopic algae also occur as symbionts in lichens.

A "phycologist" is a person who studies algae as described above. In a similar manner, a mycologist is a person who has been professionally trained in mycology, the study of fungi.

ee also

* History of phycology
* Algaculture, the culture of algae
* Algae fuel

External links

*http://www.algaefuel.org/ AlgaeFuel research and development company in California bay area.
*http://www.brphycsoc.org/ British Phycological Society
*http://www.intphycsoc.org/ International Phycological Society
*http://www.schweizerbart.de/j/algological-studies/ Algological Studies is an international journal of phycology which publishes peer reviewed scientific papers of international significance from the entire field of algology (phycology)
*http://www.psaalgae.org/ Phycological Society of America
*http://www.algaebase.org/ AlgaeBase
*http://www.seaweed.ie/ Seaweed Site


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Phycology — Phy*col o*gy, n. [Gr. ? seaweed + logy.] The science of alg[ae], or seaweeds; algology. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • phycology — 1847, from PHYCO (Cf. phyco ) + LOGY (Cf. logy). Related: Phycological; phycologist …   Etymology dictionary

  • phycology — [fī käl′ə jē] n. [< Gr phykos, seaweed (see PHYCEAE) + LOGY] ALGOLOGY phycologist n …   English World dictionary

  • phycology — noun Date: circa 1847 the study or science of algae called also algology • phycological adjective • phycologist noun …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • phycology — (fi kol o je) The study of algae; algology …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • phycology — phycological /fuy keuh loj i keuhl/, adj. phycologist, n. /fuy kol euh jee/, n. the branch of botany dealing with algae. [1875 80; PHYCO + LOGY] * * * ▪ biology also called  algology        the study of algae, a large heterogeneous group o …   Universalium

  • phycology — noun The scientific study of algae. See Also: phycological, phycologist …   Wiktionary

  • phycology — phy·col·o·gy jē n, pl gies the study or science of algae phy·co·log·i·cal .fī kə läj i kəl adj …   Medical dictionary

  • phycology — study of algae and seaweeds Sciences and Studies …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • phycology — phy·col·o·gy || faɪ kÉ‘lÉ™dʒɪ / kÉ’ n. algology, branch of botany that concentrates on the study of algae …   English contemporary dictionary

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