The green microbes growing closest to the top are green algae and cyanobacteria. This green color comes from chlorophyll, a chemical that turns solar energy into food that the microbes can use. The conversion of light into chemical energy is called photosynthesis. Deeper in the pond are other colorful bacteria that have either purple or green chlorophyll. Still deeper in the pond are sulfate reducers and methanogens which inhabit the dark, lower part of the pond.
Ponds are home to a huge variety of microbes that represent nearly all kingdoms of life.
Photosynthesizers Plants are well known for their ability to convert sunlight into energy for food. This process is known as photosynthesis. Many other organisms can also convert the sun's energy into food, including many different algae and bacteria. Algae Algae are photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. Waters contain a huge variety of algae including golden, yellow, brown, red, green, and yellow-green algae as well as diatoms.