wanderthemountains
Pond Scum!
I took this photo of some green goop at Halyburton Park here in Wilmington on March 23. It looks super gross, but what is it? Since it is green, does it photosynthesize? Yes! This pond scum is mostly comprised of green algae, probably a mix of Spirogyra, Mougeotia, and Zygnema. These three genuses of algae are each a different kind of freshwater phytoplankton. You can tell it is green algae (and not cyanobacteria or some other plankton) because of the beautiful green color and the silky, slippery texture of the mats. These blooms can completely cover ponds, sometimes causing them to appear dead, so what good are they? Humans and algae are a perfect example of commensalism. Whenever we go outside, we often see green plants and trees, and give them credit for the oxygen that we breathe. In reality, most of the oxygen in our atmosphere is the result of hard working ocean phytoplankton, the close cousins of the pond scum seen here! We benefit from the oxygen produced by these green algae, but we do not directly affect them. These small, gross-looking, and sometimes foul-smelling organisms have an important role in the ecology of our area. They may even help us on every breath, without us knowing, even if we have very little to do with them.
References:
www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showdocument?id=28866
Pond Scum!
I took this photo of some green goop at Halyburton Park here in Wilmington on March 23. It looks super gross, but what is it? Since it is green, does it photosynthesize? Yes! This pond scum is mostly comprised of green algae, probably a mix of Spirogyra, Mougeotia, and Zygnema. These three genuses of algae are each a different kind of freshwater phytoplankton. You can tell it is green algae (and not cyanobacteria or some other plankton) because of the beautiful green color and the silky, slippery texture of the mats. These blooms can completely cover ponds, sometimes causing them to appear dead, so what good are they? Humans and algae are a perfect example of commensalism. Whenever we go outside, we often see green plants and trees, and give them credit for the oxygen that we breathe. In reality, most of the oxygen in our atmosphere is the result of hard working ocean phytoplankton, the close cousins of the pond scum seen here! We benefit from the oxygen produced by these green algae, but we do not directly affect them. These small, gross-looking, and sometimes foul-smelling organisms have an important role in the ecology of our area. They may even help us on every breath, without us knowing, even if we have very little to do with them.
References:
www.townofchapelhill.org/home/showdocument?id=28866