Algae are classified as symbiotic because they produce energy through the process of photosynthesis. | The first successful plants on Hawaii were probably lichens, which consist of algae and fungi living in a symbiotic relationship. | Lichens helped create favorable conditions for the growth of spore-producing plants such as ferns and mosses. | Seed-bearing plants evolved much later than spore-producing plants, but both types of plants had evolved well before the formation of the Hawaiian Islands. | Unlike spores, seeds must move to new habitats in order to have a strong chance of survival and growth. | Seed-bearing plants arrived and spread quickly in Hawaii, thanks to characteristics that increased their seeds’ ability to survive and to move to different areas. |