Description
Plant Biologists have always wondered as to how life originated on earth and how plants evolved. Cyanobacteria or ‘Blue-Green Algae’ are considered to be the earliest photosynthetic organisms which were responsible for oxygenation of atmosphere and oceans which supported evolution of animal life. Algae, in general, are ecologically significant, as they mediated colonization of land by plants. Algae also support life on earth by producing an estimated 30-50 per cent of the net global oxygen available to humans and other terrestrial animals for respiration. Lichens, on the other hand, are symbiotic associations between algae and fungi which pioneered ecological succession. Moreover, they serve as good bio-indicators to gauge the levels of pollution in the environment. Bryophytes are ‘amphibian plants’ which mark the transition of plants from water to land habitat and link the seed and vascular plants to their algal ancestors. The present book provides an accurate and illustrated account of representative genera of algae, lichens and bryophytes enabling students at an under-graduate level to have a fairly good idea about their habit, habitat, structure, development, reproduction and life-cycle. This information will allow them to have a glimpse of the life of these organisms and their ecological and economic significance. Further, the students may possibly get to know as to how these organisms must have thrived in the past and evolved further under different environmental conditions.
