This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Macroalgae and their surface microbes closely interact in integrated assemblages called holobionts. However, the interactions within these holobionts and the effects of environmental factors, especially in the context of coastal pollution, remain unclear. To clarify this issue, a recent multiomics study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of the holobiont of Taonia atomaria, a Mediterranean seaweed at sites with different levels of trace metal pollution. At all geographical sites, the surface bacterial communities were highly specific to the seaweed. The density and diversity of bacteria living on the seaweed at each site generally increased with the progression of time toward summer, but the proportions of core taxa and specific algal-enriched taxa decreased, suggesting the arrival of new colonizing bacteria. Notably, besides temperature, the copper concentration in the seawater was a key environmental factor shaping holobiont dynamics..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This nonfiction article, written for students in grades 4-5, explores lichens: a partnership between an alga and a fungus. Modified versions are available for students in younger grades.

In this activity, students will learn how water can be polluted by algal blooms. They will grow algae with different concentrations of fertilizer or nutrients and analyze their results as environmental engineers working to protect a local water resource.

Believe it or not, your life depends on algae! Join Scripps' Institution's Russell Chapman as he discusses the important roles algae have played in the development of life as we know it. (55 minutes)

Join Scripps' Bill Gerwick in an exploration of the potential uses of one of the most ancient of all life forms - blue-green algae - as a source for new pharmaceuticals with used ranging from anticancer compounds to drug screening. (54 minutes)

This article discusses the types of plants found in the Arctic and Antarctic as well as the adaptations that enable their survival in the polar regions' harsh conditions.

With a simple list of necessary supplies, science teacher Mrs. Seay gets her class completely involved in the task of identifying and classifying organisms found in local pond water.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Chemotherapeutic drugs can be a necessary part of cancer treatment, but side effects remain a major concern. Intestinal mucositis is an adverse effect of chemotherapy medicine that causes digestive distress. Although efforts have been made to minimize the effects of chemotherapy on the gut, more effective preventive measures are needed. A recent study examined the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation on intestinal function in patients receiving chemotherapy. Following up on their previous observation that an algae byproduct, alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), can increase beneficial gut microbes in mice, researchers treated healthy mice with AOS before transplanting their fecal microbes to mice treated with chemotherapeutics. They found that microbes from AOS-treated mice improved small intestine function better than microbes from control mice. Beneficial microbes were increased after transplantation, resulting in increased blood metabolites from digestion..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.