Chlamydomonas snow: peculiarities of the structure, habitat

Surprising and unique paintings can sometimes be seen in the world around us. For example, sometimes there is a colorful, aesthetic phenomenon, which has become popularly called "watermelon snow". It is caused by a chlamydomonas snowy, tiny organism, for many being a mystery.

And what will the scientists tell?

If you turn to biologists, you can find out that Chlamydomonas snowball in science is called Chlamydomonas nivalis. This is a plant that belongs to algae. Despite the coloring of the snow in pink and even red, it is classified as green.

The microorganism lives only in fresh water, belongs to the number of unicellular plants. The fact that the green alga blossoms the snowy expanses in red, is due to the presence in its composition of the pigment, called "astaxanthin." In addition to it, the plant also contains a green pigment - a chlorophyll known even to schoolchildren.

When the chlamydomonas snowball multiplies, they speak of a "blossoming of snow". Surfaces acquire a pleasant pink shade, and sometimes become infernally red, as if nature recreates shots from a horror film.

Chlamydomonada snow belongs to fans of cold. In this algae - the complete opposite of a large class of thermophilic unicellular plants.

Classification

Algae in modern biology is usually referred to the genus of chlamydomonads belonging to the family of the same name. It, in turn, enters into the order, called "Volvtokovye". The class of these plants got its name due to the pigment contained in organisms, it is called "Chlorophyte". An even higher division level is the department. The plant belongs to green algae. Finally, this is the kingdom of the plant.

Beautiful mountains

Since the chlamydomonade is snowy at a temperature near zero, it feels excellent, climbers and travelers in the far north have an opportunity to see the most beautiful pictures.

By the way, pink is not the only shade of snow high in the mountains. Also there are foci:

• Purple;
• Red;
• Brown;
• Yellowish.

The reason for the blooming of the snow is the microscopic plants that live in it.

Bends chlamydomonas snow at 4 degrees, so only those people who are not afraid of cold can see beautiful landscapes.

Very often beautiful pictures of pink color can be observed:

• In the Antarctic;
• In the Caucasus.

If you remove the top layer, it turns out that the snow inside is white. This is due to the specificity of the life of this unusual plant - "Chlamydomonas snowball". The habitat of the alga is only the surface layer.

How does this happen?

Accumulation of pinkish pigment occurs not just so, but under the influence of external conditions. Flowering begins when the air is warm. In the normal state in the snow cover, the plant is in a dormant state, but when the sun begins to warm, the upper layer thaws, and optimal conditions for reproduction are created. But it does not last very long, because the chlamydomonade is snowy at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius already dies.

Once at the right time in the right place, the traveler can observe the active life of tiny algae. Pigment accumulates quickly enough. Studying this phenomenon, scientists took samples of snow, and then studied it under a microscope, heating to the temperature of melting. It is noted that reddish particles begin to move in water at high speed. Each of them - this is a separate plant.

Obvious obvious

Today, climber, tourist, participant of the expedition, being among the snowy expanses, seemingly bloodied, not frightened and not surprised by this phenomenon, but enjoys the rare beauty that has opened before him. But it was not always the case.

Until recently, for people, red snow was a real mystery. How many legends have been associated with him! Only a short time ago, scientists found out the origin of the phenomenon. Algae was found in the Arctic and Antarctic. They also found that microorganisms feel well under conditions of high altitudes, thanks to which colonies develop in mountain ranges.

Nowadays, biologists already have 140 species of algae and some other living organisms capable of giving snow a fantastic, original, unnatural color.

Nature again surprised

When science took up microscopic algae, scientists were surprised, because the chlamydomonade is snowy at 4 degrees Celsius already dies. It turned out that this plant is able to exist at temperatures not typical of ordinary algae.

And to this day science has not been able to establish, due to what these tiny organisms at low temperature can not simply survive, but also multiply, maintain an active metabolism. Similar organisms on the planet have not yet been found.

And what kind of building?

What is a chlamydomonas snowball? Features of the structure of this representative of the monadic type are due to the fact that the alga belongs to the unicellular ones. The body consists of:

• Eye;
• Contractile vacuole.

Cell movement is provided by flagella.

The organism is asexual, therefore reproduction occurs due to mitospores.

The cover of microscopic alga is formed by glycoproteins. The plant contains only one cup-shaped chloroplast. The core is also only one.

Specificity of habitat

Chlamydomonas belongs to a few cryophilic plants. It lives where the snow cover keeps year-round. The vegetative period during the year is only one week, the period of the greatest warming. For reproduction, the plant needs thawed water.

For chlamydomonas to multiply, it forms zygotes. For most of the year they are in a dormant state, but as soon as the weather becomes comfortable, the colony grows. At this time, and the snow is blushing.

Interesting cases

A great interest of the public was attracted by the incident that occurred in 1929. Then the algae sprouted over a huge area. This happened at the Bass Pass. The colony filled several square kilometers at an altitude of more than three thousand meters.

More than once there were beautiful phenomena:

• In the Northern Urals;
• On Franz Josef Land;
• In the Arctic;
• In the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Known was the case when chlamydomonads grew in Khakassia in 2015. They were discovered by workers of the Khakassky reserve. Watermelon snow was recorded in June, in the 20th. The most beautiful landscapes were opened near the Shaman Range, which is near the lake. The height of the terrain above sea level is about 1,700 meters.

And what else are there?

Chlamydomonas snow is not the only representative of cryophylic algae. Among them are also:

• Diatoms;
• Cyanoprocaroty.

The awakening of all these species occurs under the combined influence of factors:

• An abundance of thawed water;
• The presence of nutrients in the environment;
• lighting;
• Presence of dissolved gases in the liquid.

It is interesting

Once in a blooming field, there are few travelers who will not have a desire to try snow on the palate. But many justly doubt: is it not poisonous?

As scientists say, you can safely try the watermelon and red snow, nothing special about it can not be found. But there is a lot to eat, otherwise there will be problems with the stomach.

Algae in space

As it was found out during the experiments, cryophylic algae are very tenacious plants. They not only can exist in snows and at zero and minus temperatures, moreover, survival is high even in space.

Not so long ago this type of microorganisms was studied on the ISS. For transportation it was necessary to dehydrate algae, but in the orbit of the planet they were placed in trays, where they created relatively comfortable conditions. The experiment lasted 450 days. Samples delivered after dwelling in a space environment back to the surface of the planet, soon multiplied normally in the usual conditions.

Now scientists are interested in the mechanisms by which algae were able to adapt to such stressful conditions. There is a possibility that clarity in this aspect will help to develop methods applicable to people. It is supposed that this will be useful first of all in long flights.