20/09/14
Freshwater algae comprise a diverse assemblage of organisms that share the ability to photosynthesise and are therefore the key primary producers in freshwater ecosystems, at the base of aquatic food chains. Depending upon where they live in ponds and streams, freshwater algae exhibit different life forms; some are planktonic and float in the water, others attach to rocks and plants, and others are able to move over surfaces or within sediments.
An illustrated lecture will provide an overview of the diversity of life forms of freshwater algae, showing how their structure is linked to their lifestyle. We will then sample some of the nearby ponds and streams, in Bushy Park, seeing how different sampling methods are used for different habitats. This will be followed by microscopy and the opportunity to examine the fresh samples and learn how to identify some of the commoner groups of algae.
By the end of this course participants will have:
- Gained an overview of the diversity of microscopic freshwater algae
- Seen how simple sampling techniques allow us to collect freshwater algae
- Learnt what to look for to distinguish major freshwater algal groups
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