Algal Diversity and Commercial Algal Products New and valuable products from diverse algae may soon increase the already large market for algal products

lgae are an extremely diverse group of organisms that make up the lower phylogenetic echelons of the plant kingdom. A precise definition of this group is elusive; they share many obvious characteristics with higher (land) plants, whereas their distinguishing features from other plant groups are varied and more subtle (Bold and Wynne 1985). Most of the algae are photosynthetic (like higher plants) or are closely related to organisms that are. Algae perform roughly 50% of the photosynthesis on this planet (John 1994) and thus are instrumental in supporting the biosphere. In this article, I review the characteristics and classification of al-