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NATURE Sea, land, river ECONOMY Regional PLACE Books+ PEOPLES Community REALTY Coming soon	Green Algae thrive in Spring Thriving on nutrient rich waters and before the summer sun bakes them, green algae reach maximum extent in April May. Students can treat them as almost animals as the reproductive cells are motile and sexual cells swim around for several hours looking for a suitable mate, They are reproductive every 2 weeks usually coinciding with biggest tides but differs according to species.

When you see the thalli are fertile; collect several; place them in separate glasses; close to a source of natural light. The thalli will release the motile cells soon after being placed in the seawater that is mimicking the returning tide.

In the above glass the circle is around releases zoopores that swim towards the light and away from gravity (geo-negative and photopositive)

After the cels have release one can mix some from separate glasses. It is almost like a chemistry experiment: if they are the same species and opposite sexes they immediately mate and become averse to light and seek gravity. In the examples below they will swim to the back side of the spot away from the window’s light.

This is a quick and easy way to see if the thalli are all same species/

In monostrom, if the male and female mate they produce an overwintering single cell called a “codiolum as below

Another type does not have this alternate phase and immediately germinates to form a crust which soon gives rise to another upright blade