Cell	Shallows	Evolved Plants	Biome
First Plants	Evolution	Deep	Credits

AQUATROID & CHLORELLOID

Aquatic plants on Enod began as many organic molecules clumped together to form cells. The early oceans on Enod probably had aggregations of organic molecules that looked like droplets of oil in water. These clusters of molecules may have been the ancestors of primitive cells. They may also have been the source of energy for early life forms; primitive cells could have used the complex compounds to satisfy their energy requirements (http://www.arctic.uoguelph.ca/cpl/organisms/plants/biology/evol3.htm). As these early heterotrophs increased in number, the aggregation of complex organic molecules started to become depleted. It became more and more difficult to find "food," so competition between cells commenced. Eventually cells evolved that could make their own food from simple inorganic materials. The most successful of these early autotrophs were those that could harvest solar energy through the process of photosynthesis. They used a complex pigment system to capture and hold light energy in the form of organic molecules. This process generated the plant's food or source of energy. Click here to see the entire cell evolution!

Aquatroids were the first unicellular aquatic plants to form multicellular communities in the shallow oceanic waters of Enod. These plants originated from single cell like protists. These protists drifted passively or swam weakly near the surface of the water filtering organic material and nutrients. In time Aquatroids developed a form of chlorophyll. This adaptation granted them the ability to use light energy to photosynthesize their food near the water's surface. Competition for food resulted in their ability to form multicellular communities near the coastal areas of high light intensities and nutrient concentrations.
The Aquatroids are very similar to the slimes found on planet Earth. Enod's slime is believe to have formed 1.6 billion years ago. They are found attached to rocks as simple sheets of cells near the coastal shallow waters. The cell's chlorophyll may be green, brown, or orange. The mode of reproduction is through cell division in which their outer cells remain attached to each other. Slime cells also produce small spores or packets of genetic material that allows them to be carried by the water currents to other parts of the planet.
Chlorelloids were the second form of aquatic plants to form on Enod. They had their humble beginnings in the shallow tide-pools found throughout the coastal equatorial regions and the numerous ponds and lakes found on the planet. Two distinct feature adaptations of this type of plant cell, were their thick cell walls and the development of biflagella. These two antenna-like fibers, enabled the Chlorelloids to move around freely in still waters. They also provided them with an anchoring tool that they used to clump together and to other objects in the water like rocks and logs. When it clings to a rock, it has the appearance similar to that of the forest rock moss found on Earth.
The name Chlorelloids is due to the fact that these cell organisms have an unusually high content of chlorophyl. Because of this, they are usually a deep green color and need to remain in the shallow areas of oceans and fresh water ponds, rivers and lakes. They can be found clinging to rocks, logs, tree roots or simply floating around in large clumps that form a green thin layer on the water's surface or of partially submerged objects .

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Environment	Organism	Body Features	Reason for Body Features
Shallow Water 18 to 40 cm 20o to 30o Celsius Rocky intertidal zone		Aquatroid consisted of a nucleus containing DNA, chloroplast, and a cell wall. It reproduced through very primitive cell division.	Aquatroids adapted special features like the chloroplast and cell wall. The chloroplast allowed the cell to harvest light energy for the production of food. The cell wall protected the cell from the harsh environment found near the surface of the water.
Shallow Water 18 to 40 cm 20o to 30o Celsius Rocky intertidal zone		Chlorelliod is a single-celled alga. It has been able to survive on Enod because it has a tough outer shell that protects its genetic integrity	Under strong sunlight, pure water and clean air, Chlorelloid multiplies at an incredible rate. This may have led to its evolution of flagella. This may have also helped it spread from areas (ponds, rivers, lakes, tidepools) that my have become too crowded.

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Enod's oceans and coastal areas remained stable for thousands of years before Aquatroid was forced to undergo a drastic structural change. The plants continued to harness sunlight for photosynthesis to live. In time the oceans of Enod began to rise. This event put Aquatroids in deeper waters and they were now required to compete for light. The Aquatroids had to change and adapt to a new environment if these plants were to survive in the deep oceanic waters.

Armando P.

LAMINARIA One of the adaptations that made this plant's survival possible was its ability to stack onto one other and form small towers. The lower cells differentiated into large bases that glued the plant onto large rocks. The cells also adapted new mechanisms that allowed for the transportation of nutrients from one cell to the other. These short towers supported the plant and brought it closer to the surface where the light intensity was greatest.   Eventually the oceanic waters got deeper and the plant's stem grew longer. Support was a key component if they were to remain near the surface where light was plentiful. It was through the process of evolution that this plant was able to keep alive. The new adaptations of gas-filled bulbs at two meter intervals provided enough buoyancy lift the plants growing blades towards the surface and to keep the plant towards the surface and light. The formation of large blades provided enough surface area to capture the necessary amounts of light for photosynthesis.

Edwin R

CHLORESTEM Similar to Laminaria, Chlorelloid also evolved into a new species of plant called Chlorestem. This new species was able to survive the changing water environments by adapting its growth behaviour. By using its flagella, the cells slowly began to bond together to create tube like structures that could reach towards the surface of the water where they could obtain as much of Nuz light as possible.       As time passed, slow changes began to appear on the surface of this plant. The changes to its habitat were slow enough that Chloresptem had a chance to adapt and prosper in the deeper waters found on Enod. Some of its most noticeable changes were the length to which it could grow and the development of root-like grip devices that it used to cling to rocks and other surfaces under water. These grips secured the plant to the ground so that it would not be swept away by the currents.

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Environment	Organism	Body Features	Reason for Body Features
Deep Water 1 to 3 meters 18o to 30o Celsius Rocky surface	Armando P.	Laminaria consisted of a nucleus containing DNA, chloroplast, and a cell wall. It reproduces by very primitive cell division. It is supported by a tough cord-like stem 2 to 3 feet long. Blades that contain air pockets also keeps the plant bouyant towards the surface.	Luminaria adapted special features like the chloroplast and cell wall. The chloroplast allowed the cell to harvest light energy for the production of food. The cell wall protected the cell from the harsh environment found near the surface of the water. In addition, the long stem and air filled blades keep the plant near the water surface were light is abundant.
Deep Water 1 to 3 meters 18o to 30o Celsius Rocky surface	Edwin R.	Tubular stems Bright green in color Partially air filled stems Root-like anchors	The oval shaped cells that bonded using their flagella are one of the reasons why Chlorestem has tubular or sausage-like stems. Its thick cell walls helped it evolve into a stem like plant with small pockets of air within the stem. These bubbles help it reach the water surface where the bright green, chlorophyll filled stems, take full advantage of the Nuz light to create all the food the plant needs to survive.

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This page was created by Armando Pedroza & Edwin A. Rivas. Click on the name to send us your comments!

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