Most individuals like being enthralled by the sights and sounds around them. Wonders of the natural world, such as the many living species that populate it, astonish people. Major living things get observed while little ones go unseen in most cases.
However, both big and small organisms play a crucial part in maintaining the balance of the environment. Protozoa and algae are two examples. Even yet, the structure and appearance of these two groups of creatures make it easy to tell them apart. We’ll go into the specifics of how algae and protozoa vary in this piece.
Algae Vs. Protozoa
Protozoa, on the other hand, are tiny, non-flowering aquatic plants that contain chlorophyll, a green pigment. True stem, vascular and leafless roots are absent. Protozoa, on the other hand, are prokaryotic creatures that are members of the Protista order. A material called cellulose is used to build the cell wall of algae. Protozoa, on the other hand, lack a cell wall.
Chlorophyll, a green pigment, is found in algae. A material called cellulose makes up the wall of an algal cell. Algae’s dormant unit is the spore. Cyanobacteria, brown algae, seaweeds, red algae, and green algae are all forms of alga Toxic substances produced by algae pose a threat to people.
Single-celled creatures, or protozoa, are prokaryotic organisms. The Protista kingdom includes prokaryotic creatures such as protozoa. An animal-like trait is one of the properties of protozoa. Protozoa can’t make their own food. As a result, they are classified as heterotrophs.
Algae
Microorganisms such as algae typically have just one cell. Microalgae are a term used to describe these single-celled Protozoa. macroalgae, on the other hand, refers to multicellular protozoa. They’re seaweeds, and they can grow to be 100 feet long. Seaweeds, such as kelp, are an excellent illustration of this. It’s all algae’s fault: Because of this, they are considered autotrophs.
Multi-cellular organisms, or eukaryotic organisms, are the most common kind of algae. Non-flowering aquatic plants, algae have chlorophyll, a green pigment. True stem, vascular and leafless roots are absent. Algae are microorganisms that resemble plants in appearance. Algae make food via the process of photosynthesis. Algae in the atmosphere create around 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe.
Protozoa
The majority of protozoa are unattached to a host. They can also infect higher-order animals, but this is rare. In the absence of a cell wall, they can take on a wide range of shapes. Excess water is expelled from the cell through contractile vacuoles. Protozoa are known to have food vacuoles. Protozoa are the building blocks of most aquatic food systems.
Protozoa don’t have chlorophyll. Protozoa don’t have a cell wall. Protozoa spend most of their time dormant in cysts. Leishmania is an example of an infectious disease caused by an infectious agent that belongs to the phylum of protozoans known as amoeba. Plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria, is a protozoa that may cause sickness in humans. Protozoa ingest food by phagocytosis, a process that takes place in their digestive systems.
Difference Between Algae and Protozoa
- Multi-cellular organisms, or eukaryotic organisms, are the most common kind of algae. Protozoa, on the other hand, are single-celled prokaryotic organisms.
- Non-flowering aquatic plants, algae have chlorophyll, a green pigment. True stem, vascular and leafless roots are absent. When it comes to the Protista kingdom, prokaryotic creatures are protozoans.
- Algae are microorganisms that resemble plants in appearance. Protozoa, on the other hand, are creatures that resemble animals in appearance.
- It’s all algae’s fault: Because of this, they are considered autotrophs. Protozoa, on the other hand, are unable to produce their own. As a result, they are classified as heterotrophs.
- Algae make food via the process of photosynthesis. Protozoa, on the other hand, ingest food by phagocytosis.
- Chlorophyll, a green pigment, is found in algae. While protozoa lack chlorophyll.
- A material called cellulose is used to build the cell wall of algae. Protozoa, on the other hand, lack a cell wall.
- Algae’s dormant unit is the spore. When compared to the protozoa’s resting unit, the cyst.
- Cyanobacteria, brown algae, seaweeds, red algae, and green algae are all forms of alga While there are many more types of protozoa as well, some of the more well-known ones are Euglen, Amoeb, and Leishmania.
- Toxic substances produced by algae pose a threat to people. Some protozoa, like plasmodium, may infect people and spread illnesses like malaria.
- Algae in the atmosphere create around 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe. While protozoa are the base of most aquatic food systems.
Conclusion
Algae and protozoa are two types of creatures that number in the millions and billions. Algae may be either multicellular or unicellular, and they resemble plants in many ways. Protozoa, on the other hand, are animal-like eukaryotic creatures. Because of this, the primary distinction between algae and protozoa is the manner in which they produce and consume their food, which is referred to as their method of feeding. Algae make food via the process of photosynthesis. Protozoa, on the other hand, ingest food by phagocytosis.