List common modes of reproduction in Algae?
The modes of reproduction in algae are- (i) Vegetative Reproduction: It occurs by fragmentation, zoospores, aplanospores, palmella stages etc. (ii) Sexual Reproduction in Chlamydomonas: Flagellated, motile gametes unite to form a quadrille flagellate zygote. It is converted into a zygospore. When the flagella are lost and a cyst wall is formed around them, the zygospore germinates by meiosis to form four haploid meiospores. (iii) Palmella Stage: If the conditions are unfavourable, daughter cells are divided into numerous cells. Their walls become gelatinous and cells remain together. This stage is the palmella stage. In return for favourable conditions, the cells inside the gelatinous mass develop cilia. Asexual Reproduction in Chlamydomonas: It takes place by the formation of zoospores in which cilia from the Chlamydomonas are withdrawn. The cell content gets divided into 4 to 8 daughter cells. In this way, they become motile and called zoospores.
