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Q5:
Write a note on economic importance of algae and gymnosperms.
Solution :
Part I: Economic Importance of Algae
Algae serve as primary producers in aquatic ecosystems and are of significant industrial and nutritional value. Their contributions are categorized below:
| Category | Examples | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Food Supplement | Chlorella, Spirulina | High protein content; used as food supplements by space travelers. |
| Hydrocolloids | Algin (Brown algae), Carrageen (Red algae) | Used as water-holding substances in industrial processes. |
| Phycocolloids (Agar) | Gelidium, Gracilaria | Used to grow microbes and in preparations of ice-creams and jellies [By commercial extraction]. |
| Photosynthesis | All Algae | Responsible for half of the total carbon dioxide fixation on Earth through photosynthesis [Per the Calvin-Benson cycle]. |
Part II: Economic Importance of Gymnosperms
Gymnosperms provide essential raw materials for construction, medicine, and paper production. Their anatomical properties, specifically the presence of tracheids and resin ducts, define their utility.
1. Construction and Lumber:
Conifers such as Pinus, Cedrus (Deodar), and Sequoia provide softwoods used extensively in building construction, railway sleepers, and furniture making [Due to high lignification of secondary xylem].
2. Paper and Pulp Industry:
Wood from species like Abies (Fir) and Picea (Spruce) is a primary source of long-fibered pulp utilized in the manufacturing of high-quality paper.
3. Medicinal Derivatives:
The alkaloid 'taxol', extracted from the bark of Taxus brevifolia, is an potent anti-cancer agent. Ephedrine, derived from Ephedra, is utilized in the treatment of asthma and respiratory ailments [By pharmacological extraction].
4. Industrial Resins and Turpentine:
Resins (e.g., rosin) and turpentine oil are harvested from Pinus species. These substances are vital for the production of varnishes, paints, and polishes.
Summary of Industrial Utility
- Algae: Vital for $O_2$ production, food security, and microbiological growth media ($Agar$).
- Gymnosperms: Vital for timber, paper, and specialized pharmaceutical compounds ($Taxol$).
Final Solution: The economic significance of algae lies in their role as primary producers, food sources, and hydrocolloid suppliers, whereas gymnosperms are valued primarily for their timber, pulp, and specialized secondary metabolites used in medicine.
More Questions from Class 11 Biology Plant Kingdom EXERCISES
- Q1: What is the basis of classification of algae?
- Q2: When and where does reduction division take place in the life cycle of a liverwort, a moss, a fern, a gymnosperm and an angiosperm?
- Q3: Name three groups of plants that bear archegonia. Briefly describe the life cycle of any one of them.
- Q4: Mention the ploidy of the following: protonemal cell of a moss; primary endosperm nucleus in dicot, leaf cell of a moss; prothallus cell of a ferm; gemma cell in Marchantia; meristem cell of monocot, ovum of a liverwort, and zygote of a fern.
- Q6: Both gymnosperms and angiosperms bear seeds, then why are they classified separately?
- Q7: What is heterospory? Briefly comment on its significance. Give two examples.
- Q8(i): Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:- (i) protonema
- Q8(ii): Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:- (ii) antheridium
- Q8(iii): Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:- (iii) archegonium
- Q8(iv): Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:- (iv) diplontic
- Q8(v): Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:- (v) sporophyll
- Q8(vi): Explain briefly the following terms with suitable examples:- (vi) isogamy
- Q9(i): Differentiate between the following:- (i) red algae and brown algae
- Q9(ii): Differentiate between the following:- (ii) liverworts and moss
- Q9(iii): Differentiate between the following:- (iii) homosporous and heterosporous pteridophyte
- Q10: Match the following (column I with column II) Column I Column II (a) Chlamydomonas (i) Moss (b) Cycas (ii) Pteridophyte (c) Selaginella (iii) Algae (d) Sphagnum (iv) Gymnosperm
- Q11: Describe the important characteristics of gymnosperms.
CBSE Solutions for Class 11 Biology Plant Kingdom
Chapters in CBSE - Class 11 Biology
- The Living World
- Biological Classification
- Animal Kingdom
- Morphology of Flowering Plants
- Anatomy of Flowering Plants
- Structural Organisation in Animals
- Cell – The Unit of Life
- Biomolecules
- Cell Cycle and Division
- Transport in Plants
- Mineral Nutrition
- Photosynthesis
- Respiration in Plants
- Plant Growth and Development
- Digestion and Absorption
- Breathing and Exchange of Gases
- Body Fluids and Circulation
- Excretory Products and Elimination
- Locomotion and Movement
- Neural Control and Coordination
- Chemical Coordination and Integration
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