The past and Future (?) of Human Use of the Algae.

James Dawson, Ph.D.

Professor and Interim Chair

Dept of Biology

Pittsburg State University

What is an alga? Most individual algae are too small to see

without a microscope.

An alga that is too small to see without

magnification is called a microalga.

A mass of microalgae is evident in a body of water when it forms a bloom.

A bloom is a rapid growth of microalgae to a very high concentration. Algal

blooms foul water, often changing its color and/or odor and/or taste. Some

blooms of algae are toxic to humans and animals.

A freshwater algal bloom A marine red tide bloom