These freshwater algae samples were taken by Michigan Technological University students. Shown is algal scum. (Photo by Jason Oyadomari) MARQUETTE — Rising temperatures and changing environmental conditions in the Great Lakes are contributing to harmful algal blooms, and new research suggests that the nearshore regions of Lake Superior could indicate climate change’s effects on the region’s ecosystem. The study, in the Journal of Great Lakes Research, collected samples from 10 nearshore stations along the Canadian shoreline throughout spring, summer and fall. Across all seasons and sampling locations, researchers from York University and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment identified 23 species cyanobacteria at non-bloom levels. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, are a type of bacteria found in freshwater that can grow rapidly and produce toxins that harm wildlife and humans. Although important to a variety of organisms, excessive growth of this bacteria can lead to blooms that impede recreation and deplete oxygen in the water. The blooms are often associated with warm, nutrient-rich lakes, but recently have been showing up in cold, low-nutrient lakes such as Superior, said Krill Shchapov, the lead researcher on the study and a freshwater ecologist now at the Cawthron Institute in New Zealand. “Lake Superior is warming much faster than the other Great Lakes,” said Shchapov. “But it is also in an area far from large human populations.” The lake’s north shore is a pristine area with a majority of untouched land, which made the discovery of this bacteria all the more interesting, said Shchapov. However, agricultural runoff, less ice cover in the wintertime and strong storms that deposit nutrients into the lake are all possible reasons for a surge in the blooms. Because cyanobacterial blooms in warmer lakes such as Erie and Michigan are more common due to a larger human population […]
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