Algae
Algae are simple plants, but they account for a major proportion of the oxygen production of the planet. The term isn't scientifically valid, but is a gather-all name for a very varied set of photosynthetic plants. They vary from tiny single-celled planktonic groups, through pond blanket weed, up to the remarkable seaweeds and kelps, that can grow to 80m in length.
Algae aren't often covered in books on garden wildlife, but they are very significant in garden ponds and streams, as tiny plankton and larger, often problematic filamentous forms. We will soon be creating a page on pond algae
Freshwater algae: Filamentous Spirogyra Removing blanket weed from my pond Colony of Volvox
Algae are also present in the terrestrial environment, often as a film of green on damp soil, tree trunks, pots and garden decking, but sometimes as strange gelatinous masses that appear in the autumn. We will be covering these with another page.
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
_2014-09-20_20x_IMG_5384.jpg "Pond alga Spirogyra Photo: Dr. W. Strickling, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons"){kind=spacer}
Freshwater algae: Spirogyra Removing blanket weed Colony of Volvox
Algae are also present in the terrestrial environment, often as a film of green on damp soil, tree trunks, pots and garden decking, but sometimes as strange gelatinous masses that appear in the autumn. We will be covering these with another page.
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
Algae
Algae are simple plants, but they account for a major proportion of the oxygen production of the planet. The term isn't scientifically valid, but is a gather-all name for a very varied set of photosynthetic plants. They vary from tiny single-celled planktonic groups, through pond blanket weed, up to the remarkable seaweeds and kelps, that can grow to 80m in length.
Algae aren't often covered in books on garden wildlife, but they are very significant in garden ponds and streams, as tiny plankton and larger, often problematic filamentous forms. We will soon be creating a page on pond algae
Garden Wildplants
Garden Wildplants
