RedToL: Phylogenetic and Genomic Approaches to Reconstructing the Red Algal (Rhodophyta) Tree of Life. Background Rhodophyta (red algae) is one of the most ancient and successful eukaryotic phyla with fossil evidence stretching back 1.2 billion years. Red algae are not only key members of aquatic environments but they are sources for important human foods such as dulse and sushi wrap and have a multitude of pharmaceutical and industrial uses (e.g., agarose and carrageenans). Perhaps most importantly is the role red algae played in the evolution of our planet through secondary endosymbiosis.
A red alga was the ancient (>1 billion years ago) donor of the plastid in chlorophyll−c containing algae (chromalveolates) that rose to prominence in marine ecosystems after the end Permian with groups such as diatoms currently providing ca. 20% of global fixed carbon. RedToL. RedToL, or Red Algal Tree of Life, is part of the collaborative National Science Foundation Assembling the Tree of Life activity (AToL), funded through the Division of Environmental Biology, Directorate for Biological Sciences. The overall goal of AToL is to resolve evolutionary relationships for large groups of organisms throughout the history of life, with the research often involving large teams working across institutions and disciplines.
Investigators are typically supported for projects in data acquisition, analysis, algorithm development and dissemination in computational phylogenetics and phyloinformatics. Aims[edit] External links[edit] Red algae. The red algae, or Rhodophyta (/roʊˈdɒfɨtə/ roh-DOF-fit-tə or /ˌroʊdəˈfaɪtə/ ROH-də-FY-tə; from Ancient Greek: ῥόδον rhodon, "rose" and φυτόν phyton, "plant"), are one of the oldest groups of eukaryotic algae,[2] and also one of the largest, with about 5,000–6,000 species [3] of mostly multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds.
Other references indicate as many as 10,000 species;[4] more detailed counts indicate about 4,000 in about 600 genera (3,738 marine species in 546 genera and 10 orders (plus the unclassifiable); 164 freshwater species in 30 genera in eight orders).[5] Habitat[edit] Most rhodophytes are marine, although freshwater species are found; these generally prefer clean, running water, but with some exceptions.[8]