Western Regional Aquaculture Center

Algae are the population of microscopic single and multiple-celled aquatic plants that live in water. While most individual algal cells can only be viewed using an instrument such as a microscope, algal blooms give color to the pond water. When populations of algal cells multiply, thereby clouding or giving color to a pond, it is called an algal bloom. Another term used to describe algae is phytoplankton. The word phytoplankton is derived from the Greek language (phyto = plant; plankton = wanderer). It is a term used to describe plants that are so small that their movement is primarily controlled by the motion of the water. In this publication we will use the term “pond” to describe all bodies of water, including lakes.