Aquatic invertebrates, most popularly the larvae of the caddis fly sp., are responsive to climate change, low levels of pollution and temperature change. As a result, they have the longest history of use in biomonitoring programs.  Additionally, macroscopic species: frogs, fish, and some plant species, as well as, many forms of microscopic life, like bacteria and protozoa are used as indicator organisms in a variety of applications, storm water run-off among them.
Many species of Macroalgae (including Cyanobacteria, though not technically a true algae) are also used in biomonitoring for both aquatic and marine environments, as their short lifespan makes them very reactive to changes.