3 Answers
Economic importance of algae
Algae have diverse economic uses. They perform half of the total carbon dioxidefixation on earth by photosynthesis, acting as the primary producers in aquatic habitats.
(a) Food source: Many species of marine algae such as Porphyra, Sargassum, and Laminaria are edible. Chlorella and Spirulina are rich in proteins. Thus, they are used as food supplements.
(b) Commercial importance: Agar is used in the preparation of jellies and icecream. It is obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria. Carrageenin is used as an emulsifier in chocolates, paints, and toothpastes. It is obtained from the red algae.
(c) Medicines: Many red algae such as Corallina are used in treating worm infections.
Economic importance of gymnosperms
(a) Construction purposes: Many conifers such as pine, cedar, etc., are sources of the soft wood used in construction and packing.
(b) Medicinal uses: An anticancer drug Taxol is obtained from Taxus. Many species of Ephedra produce ephedrine, which can be used in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis.
(c) Food source: The seeds of Pinus gerardiana (known as chilgoza) are edible.
(d) Source of resins: Resins are used commercially for manufacturing sealing waxes and water-proof paints. A type of resin known as turpentine is obtained from various species of Pinus.
Economic Importance of Algae:
• Almost 50% of carbon fixation on earth is carried out by algae. Thus, they are among the large producers on the earth; especially in aquatic habitat. About 70 species of marine algae are used as food, e.g. Porpyra, Laminaria and Sargassum.
• Some marine brown and red algae produce large amounts of hydrocolloids. Hydrocolloids are water holding substances and are used commercially.
• Agar; which is obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria is used as culture medium in laboratories. It is also used in making ice-cream and jelly.
• Chlorella and Spirullaina are used as food supplements; even during space travel.
Economic Importance of Gymnosperms:
• They are widely used as ornamental plants.
• Fibres from conifer are used as paper pulp.
• Conifers are widely used in reforestation projects.
• Turpentine and rosin are made from conifer resin.
• Commercially useful oils are produced from many conifers, e.g. juniper, pine, fir, etc.
Economic importance of Algae:
Algae are useful to man in a variety of ways. At least a half of the total carbon dioxide fixation on earth is carried out by algae through photosynthesis. Being photosynthetic they increase the level of dissolved oxygen in their immediate environment. They are of paramount importance as primary producers of energy-rich compounds which form the basis of the food cycles of all aquatic animals.
Many species of Porphyra, Laminaria and Sargassum are among the 70 species of marine algae used as food. Certain marine brown and red algae produce large amounts of hydrocolloids (water-holding substances), e.g., algin (brown algae) and carrageen (red algae) are used commercially. Agar, one of the commercial products obtained from Gelidium and Gracilaria are used to grow microbes and in preparations of ice-creams and jellies. Chlorella and Spirullina are unicellular algae, rich in proteins and are used as food supplements even by space travellers.
Economic Importance of Gymnosperms:
Gymnosperm plants are widely used as ornamental. Conifers are often featured informal gardens and are used for bonsai. Yews and junipers are often low-growing plants cultivated for ground cover. Confiers are effective windbreaks, especially those that are evergreen. Turpentine and resin are derived from conifer resins. Copal, a hardened form of resin from a kauri is used to manufacture paints and Varnishes. Balsam and dammer resin are used in the preparation of mounting media for microscope slides. Resines have medicinal uses.
Fossilized resin of conifers are used to manufacture amber. Commercially useful oils are derived from such conifers as junipers, pines, hemlock, fir, spruces and aborvitae. These oils serve as air freshness, disinfectants, and smell in soaps and cosmetics. Seeds are often food sources. Pine seeds are a delicacy eaten plain or used as a garnish on bakery produces Seeds of Ginkgo and cycads may be poisonous unless detoxified. “Berries” of juniper are used as flavouring. Most plywood is gymnosperms.