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General Science Bullet - Classification of organisms - Capsule 6
As this topic is important for competitive examinations like SSC CGL, UPSC, etc. in this article, we will look into algae and its types.
1. Algae are divided into three main classes: Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophyceae.
2. Algae are commonly found in fresh, brackish and salty waters.
3. Chlorophyceae:
a. These are commonly known as green algae.
b. The plant body may be unicellular, colonial or filamentous.
c. They are usually bright green in colour due to the dominance of pigments like chlorophyll a and
chlorophyll b and are located in chloroplast (discoid, plate-like, reticulate, cup-shaped, spiral or ribbon-shaped organelle which differs with species).
d. Reproduction takes place by vegetative, asexual and sexual methods. Vegetative reproduction takes place by fragmentation or by formation of different types of spores while asexual reproduction takes place by flagellated zoospores. Sexual reproduction, however, shows variation in the type and formation of sex cells which can be isogamous, anisogamous or oogamous.
e. Green algae stores food in the form of starch.
f. Some commonly found green algae are: Chlamydomonas, Volvox, Ulothrix, Spirogyra and Chara. Chlamydomonas and Volvox are important organisms for research purpose. The latter serves as a model organism for understanding cell death and cell interactions.
4. Phaeophyceae:
a. These are commonly known as brown algae.
b. Varying abundantly in size and form, they are simple branched, filamentous forms (for eg. Ectocarpus) to abundantly branched forms as represented by kelps that may grow as high as 100 metres.
c. Their colour ranges from olive green to different shades of brown due to the presence of chlorophyll a, c, carotenoids and xanthophylls.
d. Reproduction takes place by vegetative, asexual and sexual methods. Vegetative reproduction takes place by fragmentation while asexual reproduction (common in most brown algae) takes place by biflagellate. Sexual reproduction may be isogamous, anisogamous or oogamous.
e. The vegetative cells have a wall made up of cellulose covered on the outside by a gelatinous coating of algin. The protoplast contains plastids, a centrally-located vacuole and a nucleus. The plant body is usually attached to the substratum by a holdfast, and has a stalk, the stipe and leaf like photosynthetic organ - the frond.
f. Brown algae store food in the form of Mannitol and Laminarin.
g. Some commonly found brown algae are Ectocarpus, Dictyota, Laminaria, Sargassum and Fucus.
Algin (also known as alginic acid or alginate) has a variety of applications. It is used as a thickener or stabiliser in many products like ice cream, jelly beans, latex paint, paper, textiles, toothpastes and floor polish.
h. It is also used in pharmaceutical preparations and as an impression-making material in dentistry and prosthetics.
4. Rhodophyceae:
a. These are commonly known as red algae due the presence of phycoerythrin, the pigment which absorbs blue light and reflects red light.
b. The red thalli of most of the red algae are multicellular. Some of them have complex body organisation.
c. Red algae are predominantly marine and are found in warmer areas. They can be found in both well-lit regions near to the surface of water and also at great depths in oceans where light penetration is relatively less.
d. Reproduction takes place by vegetative, asexual and sexual methods. Vegetative reproduction takes place by fragmentation, while asexual reproduction by non-motile spores and sexual reproduction by non-motile gametes (oogamous).
e. Red algae stores food in the form of Floridean starch.
f. Some common members of red algae are Polysiphonia, Porphyra, Gracilaria and Gelidium.
g. Carrageenan, an extract obtained from red algae, is widely used in the food industry for their gelling, thickening, and stabilising properties. They are mainly used is in dairy and meat products due to their strong binding to proteins. It is also used pharmaceutical products laxatives, capsules and tablets, lotions and creams, shampoos, ulcer products and toothpastes. Industrially, it is used in air freshener gels, tertiary oil treatment, cleaners, enzyme immobilisation, electrophoretic media, chromatographic media.
h. Agar, which is another extract from red algae is used as a colloidal agent for thickening, suspending, and stabilising. It is also used in pharmaceutical products (laxatives, capsules and tablets, suppositories, radiology suspending agents, anticoagulants, etc.) and in industrial purposes for making adhesives, in textile printing, dyeing, castings and impressions.
5. Algal bloom:
a. It is a natural phenomenon when there is a rapid increase in the concentration of algae resulting in toxic or harmful effects on people, fishes, shellfishes, marine mammals, and birds. However, its frequency, duration and intensity increases with eutrophication (presence of excessive nutrients in the water).
b. Eutrophication results in nutrients finding their way into the water from the fertilizer used on farms, lawns as well as waste water and stormwater runoffs. When this runoff combines with abundant sunlight and warm temperatures, algae blooms may occur.
c. Algal blooms cover the surface of water with a thick scum which obstructs the penetration of sunlight, thereby affecting the rate of photosynthesis (process that produces oxygen). Thus, the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water gradually decreases resulting in suffocation of aquatic flora and fauna that solely depend on the dissolved oxygen available.
d. Red tide is a common term used for harmful algal blooms caused by some species of algae and dinoflagellates (unicellular protists that are mostly photosynthetic and found abundantly in marine waters).
guys new to this group can any suggest a best books for paper 1
UPSC Civil Services GK Update: Art & Culture - An insight to art & culture (Capsule 3)
Dear Readers,
General Knowledge and Current Affairs are an important component of many competitive exams, such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL Exam, Bank PO & other PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding the concepts/terms/events that are significant in our daily lives is critical for aspirants. To make your preparation easier and to help you score better in your exams, we at PaGaLGuY bring you brief articles on important phenomena, concepts and events. Spend just 15 minutes every day on pagalguy.com and score at least 10 more marks in your General Studies paper!
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In this article, we will discuss the impact of India's physical environment on its culture.
As we have elaborated earlier, the major contributing factor in the building of a region's culture is its environment. It plays a vital role as the soil, atmosphere and heredity are factors that determine the local characteristics of a place.
Geography:
i) Geography and culture are always closely connected. India's geography and ecology have played a crucial role in the formation and evolution of the nation's culture.
ii) To understand its effect, we have to first know the basic physio-graphical divisions of the Indian subcontinent, which is divided into the following three parts :
. The Himalayas
. Indo-Gangetic plains
. The Peninsular region
iii) The Himalayas are located in the north of India, geographically separating the country from the rest of Asia. Over the centuries, the mountain ranges have prevented nomadic and military invasions and immigrations into India. For e.g.: Possible invasions of hordes of Genghis Khan.
iv) The Himalayas supply water perennially to the three great river systems, namely the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra. These three rivers have formed large plains of alluvial soil in the north and the plains were the first to witness India's first urban civilization i.e. the Indus Valley Civilisation.
v) Later, the Gangetic plains saw the rise and expansion of many great empires and states of imperial character like Mahajanpadas, Nandas, Mauryas, Guptas, etc.
vi) India is known for its Eastern and Western ghats, the Deccan plateau and an extensive river system. Deccan plateau is a rocky and hilly land mass, which ends with Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. Due to the four major rivers, namely Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari and Mahanadi and their deltas, the ghats are formed of alluvial plains.
Climate:
i) Climate is another factor holistically impacting the country's culture.
ii) Different categories of monsoon based on the direction of rain-bearing winds (Northwest monsoon and Southeast monsoon), the amount of rainfall, change in temperature and relative humidity across regions in India has a deep impact on the life and psyche of people.
Agriculture:
i) Due to the large river systems, fertile alluvial soil and a good monsoon, agriculture has been the main occupation of the Indian society since prehistoric times. Though the industrial sector is gaining prominence, agriculture still has an impact on the nation's economy and the lifestyle of citizens.
ii) Types of soil, agricultural products and the time of harvests differ from region to region, thereby giving rise to varying cultures in different regions.
iii) It can be concluded that geography, climate and agricultural patterns shape people's food preferences, clothing habits, and physique, among other features.
iv) India's diverse physical environment encourages the spirit of tolerance towards differences in various aspects of life. It has enabled the nation to assimilate new cultures/practices/ movements from other parts of the world as well as from different regions of India.
v) Eventually, the art and culture of India is inspired by a deep sense of humanism that intensely recognises the unity in diversity.
To read the other articles in the series
Capsule 1 :
Capsule 2 :
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How to prepare for IES (self study).......Going to start preparation in 2-3 days...... Need help regarding books and study material....... I also want to prepare for civil services..... So please guide me for this mixed approach..
(PRIORITY -
1. ESE (as I think its easy)
2. Civil services
)
PLzzzzzzzzzzz reply..
Dear UPSC aspirants,
I would suggest you to follow this thread for questions based on static gk. In this thread, an abundant number of questions based on History, Political Science, Economics, Geography, Art & Culture, etc are available on daily basis. Solving questions posted in this thread will surely help you practice and strengthen your knowledge.
Link :http://www.pagalguy.com/discussions/exclusive-thread-for-static-gk-39628289
Hi All,
Any B.tech candidate ,who is giving Pre this time ?
Is their anyone who is using byju tablet for IAS preparation ? Please guide about it , Is it good to purchase ?
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Is it possible to crack CSE 2016 if I start from scratch from now? Please guide! I need motivation and urgent guidance.
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I want to start preparation for prelims 2016 but what is the starting point? I am reading newspaper daily(Hindu).
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##off topic
Guys if anyone has some Info. about RAS mains exam scheduled in feb last week..plz give some info..it will be a great help
koi batayega ki ncert kaun se classes tak ki study karni h??
Best test series online or correspondence ty
I have chosen physics as optional because of my interest. However mostly numericals are asked in UPSC where I'm not good. Is it a bad decision? Can it hamper my performance?
Is geography a optional subject. I even like the subject but is it better option in terms of marks? Some say u can score heavy in pub admin.
My DOB is 11 June 1986. Am I eligible for this year CSAT??? I belong to General Category.