|
Brown alage contain chlorophyll pigments as well as other gold and brown pigments which mask the green color of chlorophyll. The dominat pigment in brown algae is fucoxanthin, which reflects yellow light. Most brown seaweed can be found in the intertidal or shallow subtidal zone and are most abundant in cold oceanic water, specifically in the Northern Hemisphere.
Brown seaweed are all multi-cellular and found in many different physical forms including crusts, filaments, and large kelp.
Humans use brown seaweed commercially for food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and in the many sciences. Algin is found within the cell walls of the brown seaweed, it is used as an emulsifier in many food products. Fucans, the slimy stuff found on kelps, have potential medicinal uses. People also collect brown seaweed to treat then sell as fertilizer for agricultural crops.
|
 |