Pneumatocyst

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File:Giantkelp2 300.jpg
Floating kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) with many pneumatocysts

In phycology, a pneumatocyst is a floating structure that contains gas found on brown seaweed. A seaweed's thallus may have more than one. They provide buoyancy to lift the blades toward the surface, allowing them to receive more sunlight for photosynthesis.

The proportion of gases in the pneumatocysts varies depending on the physiological status of the alga and the partial pressure of gases in the surrounding air or water.<ref name="Thiel">Template:Cite journal</ref> The pneumatocyst can hold O2, CO2, N2,<ref name=Thiel/> and CO.<ref name="Foreman1976">Template:Cite journal</ref>

File:Algae bladder 4290.jpg
Pneumatocyst from Nereocystis luetkeana

References

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Further reading

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