Characeae SOLD
Series: Pleistocene.
Origin: Burgtonna, Gotha district, Thuringia state, Germany.
Measurements: 6cm x 5cm
The algae charophytes They are a group of green algae that are related to terrestrial plants.
Algae are protoctist organisms that have the following characteristics:
- eukaryotes (cells with a differentiated nucleus).
- autotrophs (they make their own organic matter from inorganic matter (such as water and carbon dioxide). They use the energy of sunlight through a process called photosynthesis, which they carry out thanks to pigments).
- They live in aquatic environments.
- They do not form true tissues, unlike plants.
- They do not present vascular bundles.
The sediments show dense layers of structured "algal travertines", and in some calcareous sand layers, the fossils consist almost entirely of calcified oogonia (reproductive organs) and stem remains. The frequent presence of Chara hispida y Chara vulgaris fossilized, often together with a rich ostracod fauna.
Paleoenvironmental importance: The presence of these macroalgae indicates that the environment included shallow waters (up to about 5 meters), low energy, rich in calcium (alkaline) and with abundant marsh vegetation (roots remain underwater or in permanently saturated soils, while their stems and leaves develop in the air) in the coastal zone.
