The Ecology of Charophyte Algae (Charales)

Abstract

Charophytes are a group of green algae within the order Charales. This 4-page publication provides an overview of charophyte ecology, habitat requirements, and status in the state of Florida. Written by Maximiliano Barbosa, Forrest Lefler, David E. Berthold, and H. Dail Laughinghouse IV, and published by the UF/IFAS Agronomy Department, January 2021.

Charophytes from the Cretaceous–Palaeogene transition in the Jhilmili intertrappean beds of Central India

“…Modern charophytes are typical inhabitants of freshwater (non‐marine) environments, but a few can tolerate some salinity, though they are not suited to grow in an open marine environment (Schubert, Marquardt, Schories, & Blindow, 2015; Vicente et al, 2019; Vicente, Expósito, et al, 2016; Vicente, Villalba‐Breva, et al, 2016; Villalba‐Breva & Martín‐Closas, 2011, 2013). They flourish in almost all inland waters, particularly in slow‐flowing rivers and streams, and lake and pond bottoms (temporary and permanent), and are able to live in sand and silt substrates, and marl‐rich lacustrine environments (Barbosa, Lefler, Berthold, & Laughinghouse, 2021). They grow abundantly as “charophyte meadows” in alkaline aquatic ecosystems having clear and nutrient‐rich water with a depth range of 1–10 m (Garcia, 1994).…”

Water ecological requirements of Characeae taxa in eastern Spain

“…This Characeae biodiversity loss is mainly due to anthropic pressure and eutrophication that includes excessive inputs of sewage water and a reduction of historical inputs of river waters (Puche and Rodrigo, 2015). As most Characeae species inhabit oligotrophic waters, they are among the first submerged macroalgae to disappear during the eutrophication process (Barbosa et al, 2021). From 2007 to 2010, some Characeae populations were able to recover in the Albufera Natural Park, but only in the most conserved locations and in small areas.…”

“…These meadows usually have low phytoplankton production that results in very clear water. They provide shelter from predators and a place of 2 development for the juvenile stages of fauna, thus regulating the balance at the base of the trophic pyramid (Barbosa et al, 2021). They also play an important role in colonizing new habitats and stabilizing sediments (Sleith et al, 2018).…”

“…Water regimes that may include drying wetlands in summer also appear to determine the distribution of species. Some chemical parameters of the water also limit the presence of most Characeae, which cannot survive to high levels of eutrophication that are associated with the high concentrations of organic matter (Barbosa et al, 2021;Bonilla et al, 2023). Eutrophication is the main cause of the proliferation of cyanobacteria in the water.…”