Purpose

The purpose of this project is to help people from all walks of life become more familiar with blue-green algae or cyanobacteria and to assist them in identifying some of the common types. This will hopefully empower them to determine for themselves which can be harmful and which are not.

It is not designed to be a complete examination of all cyanobacteria.  Instead, this project looks at the pond scum organisms most likely to be found in a neighborhood lake or farm pond.  The information and its format are intended to be as clear and accessible to the widest audience.  Technical jargon is minimized and unfamiliar terms will be plainly defined in the text or by links to an ample glossary.  The objective is to enable students, landowners, water professionals, citizen scientists and all who love the outdoors to learn how to identify many of these organisms.  Because they are found around the world, the lessons learned on a local level can often be applied in many other areas.