Pond Boss Forums STOCKING A NEW POND Creating the food chain Periphyton

I have done lots of various workings with periphyton, mostly identification of the algae and organisms present. Books have been written about periphyton. One book about periphyton is focused on enhanced aquacultural use of periphyton to increae productivity: Periphyton Ecology, Exploitation, and Management. Edited by Azim et al. 1970.

The periphyton community is very complex.
Periphyton is very often a large food buffet for many types of tiny critters unknown to most all casual observers. There are various special technical terms for periphyton depending on what substate where it grows. For example on rock its epilithon, on wood - epixylon. on sand - epipsammon, etc. It can grow well on underwater plants - epiphyton. There is even an epizooic periphyton example what grows on the backs of turtles. The periphyton layer or community often has heights or layers similar to wooded habitats that consist of a microbial basis, a leaf litter community, an understory and a taller mature canopy.

Water quality and fertility determines who and how much grows on the surface/s. As a group it is very diverse and the total microfloral variety of organisms comprising the community is enormous. The community or assemblage harbors many forms of bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoans, rotifers, and many types of larger invertebrates that live in and among this biofilm also termed 'aufwuchs'. Results of the community do provide lots of a variety of foods for fish the sizes that can utilize the plant and animal part of the periphyton. Lots of small and larger invertebrates feed on various parts of the periphyton buffet community. A lot of this activity is micro and macroscopic usually not observable when viewed from a distance esp when above the water surface.