Red algae growing attached to rhodoliths

Fig. 3. Most algae need a hard substrate upon which to anchor with their holdfast. In silty mud bottoms they must compete for space on available shell debris with other organisms, as illustrated here by the red alga Gracilaria blodgettii at 100 m depth (300 ft) on McGrail Bank. Image courtesy of FGBNMS/UNCW-NURC.

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