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Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect of bacterial films on adhesion of Enteromorpha sp. reproductive swarmer cells. Swarmers always attached in greater numbers to filmed than to unfilmed polystyrene surfaces. Surface energy measurements produced higher values on filmed surfaces than on unfilmed surfaces. Our data indicate that this higher surface energy may contribute to the increased adhesion by the algal swarmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A technique to observe neuston organisms, combining membrane adsorption and scanning electron microscopy, is described. Bacteria, algae, and protozoa collected from the surface of 2 freshwater ponds using this methodology appeared well preserved by the fixation and dehydration procedures used.