Subclass
Fucophycidae
Macrocystis pyrifera. Photo: (c) Shannon DeVaney, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
The Phaeophyceae or brown algae (singular: alga), are a large group of mostly marine multicellular algae, including many seaweeds located in colder Northern Hemisphere waters. They play an important role in marine environments, both as food and as habitats. For instance, Macrocystis, a kelp of the order Laminariales, may reach 60 m (200 ft) in length and forms prominent underwater kelp forests. Kelp forests like these contain a high level of biodiversity. Another example is Sargassum, which creates…
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