Because plants are so familiar, some students may think that all producers are plants.  Though plants are generally the most visible producers, many non-plant microbial species are also producers (e.g., photosynthetic algae and bacteria).  This distinction can wait until the term “producer” is introduced in Part One of the pathway.  Until that point, students may not have an understanding of producers, so using “plants” in place of “producers” may be necessary.   Because algae are central to the pathway and are non-plant producers, the distinction becomes important as the algae role unfolds in Part One.