Seaweed. A patch of dark green seaweed exposed at low tide. The swollen, round structures are air bladders, which keep the seaweed buoyant when submer

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Seaweed. A patch of dark green seaweed exposed at low tide. The swollen, round structures are air bladders, which keep the seaweed buoyant when submerged. The tough leathery fronds, which are anchored to rocks in the intertidal zone of the shore, can survive repeated bashing by waves during rising tides. Seaweeds belong to a primitive group of plants called algae. Like other algae, they lack leaves, roots, flowers and veins, but like all plants, they can photosynthesise (use the Sun's energy). Seaweeds have found a variety of commercial uses from human food to production of the jelly-making substance agar. Photographed in the west coast of Scotland, UK.

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Size: 3542px × 2829px
Photo credit: © SIMON FRASER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: air, alga, algae, algal, bladder, botany, intertidal, marine, nature, plant, seaweed, zone