Algae which vary in colour from green and brown, to red, yellow and orange, are microscopic organisms that occur in the water as single cells, filaments or visible colonies and can be either suspended or attached to solid surfaces of material such as rocks and logs.
Algae require light, a supply of nutrients, and specific temperature ranges to grow and reproduce. Of these factors, it is usually the supply of nutrients, especially phosphorus, which dictates the amount of algal growth in a lake.
Did you know that algae can:
- Convert inorganic material to organic matter;
- Utilize organic compounds for growth;
- Oxygenate the water;
- Serve as the essential base of the food chain; and
- Affect the amount of light that penetrates through the water column.