How does photosynthesis work in algae and aquatic plants?

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy. Algae and aquatic plants perform photosynthesis in a similar way to terrestrial plants, but they have adaptations that allow them to carry out this process underwater.

Algae and aquatic plants have pigments called chlorophylls, which capture light energy from the sun. The energy is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, a process that takes place in specialized structures called chloroplasts.

One of the main adaptations that algae and aquatic plants have for photosynthesis is the presence of air spaces or gas vesicles that allow them to float on the water surface, where they can get more light. They also have flexible thalli or fronds that can move with the water currents to optimize light exposure.

Another adaptation is the use of different pigments besides chlorophylls that can capture light of different wavelengths. Some of these pigments are called phycobilins and they give some algae and aquatic plants their characteristic blue-green or reddish color. These pigments can absorb light that chlorophylls cannot, allowing these organisms to capture more energy from the sun.