Algae Bloom in Lake Erie

Algae Bloom in Lake Erie

By: Brandon Bell, Amelia Durliat, Parker Evans, and Lydia Smith

Interviews

• Many different types of research takes place. They use different materials and sources depending on the research they are doing. Scientist will travel into the water to collect samples, drifter buoys measure wind speed and direction and surveys are taken to find the amount of a species.
• She said that different people can help depending on the project. Mostly just highly trained specialist but l and anglers can report potential new invaders and by using the proper techniques.

Citations:

Sonia Joseph Joshi

• Sonia said that naturally occurring algae is important to the ecosystem. She also said that an algae bloom means that there is and overgrowth of algae.
• She said that Algae blooms are harmful and affect the lake because they overgrow preventing sunlight from reaching into the Lake. This can then lead to a depletion of oxygen which can affect the fish and other organisms.
• They are commonly seeing an overgrowth of blue-green algae due to zebra mussels feeding on the other algae which would compete with it. The low amount of other algae and the high quantity of Blue-green algae creates surface scums and toxins and hypoxia from heavy blooms.
• Sonia says that the biggest factor to the Algae blooms are the phosphorus runoffs and the shallowness of the water. She said that economic and societal impacts also affect the blooms.

• She works for The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
• They conduct research on the Great Lakes ecosystem. This information that they gather gives them advice for resource use and management decisions. They then take the information and use it for safe and sustainable ecosystems, ecosystem service and human communities.
• She said that they do this because of a congressional mandate, because they care about the Great Lakes and to meet the needs of the communities in that region.

Interesting statistics

Works Cited

• "Algal Bloom." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2015. <http:/ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algal_bloom>.
• Bloch, Leonard. "Cool Algae Facts." Fun Science Project Ideas. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://www.fun-science-project-ideas.com/Algae-Facts.html>.
• Hesse, Gail. Telephone interview. 5 May 2015.
• Joshi, Sonia Joseph. E-mail interview. 22 May 2015.
• Klamt, Layla. "Lake Erie Pollution on the Decline Despite Algae Bloom." Liberty Voice. N.p., 12 July 2014. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://guardianlv.com/2014/07/lake-erie-pollution-on-the-decline-despite-algae-bloom/>.
• Lee, Jane J. "Driven by Climate Change, Algae Blooms Behind Ohio Water Scare Are New Normal." National Geographic. N.p., 6 Aug. 2014. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140804-harmful-algal-bloom-lake-erie-climate-change-science/>.
• WTOL. "Toxic Algae Bloom Is Affecting Lake Erie Fish." Toledo News. N.p., 14 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/16038556/toxic-algae-bloom-affects-lake-erie-fish>.

Gail Hesse: Executive Director of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission

- "They preserve Lake Erie's natural resources, protect water and ecosystem quality, and promote economic growth. They also oversee management of Lake Erie protection funds and grants for local projects. They ensure the coordination of policies/programs of state government having to do with water quality, toxic substances and coastal resource management. This is achieved through projects and research and we can help by buying Lake Erie license plates, donating, or by beach clean ups in September.

• Algae produce more than 71% earth's oxygen.
• The descendants of the first algae may be living inside your own cells.
• Not all algae types are toxic.
• The algae blooms were helpful when the oxygen was poisonous to early organisms.
• By producing oxygen, the first algae may have created the greatest toxic waste crisis in history.
• Some algae may hunt and kill fish for food.
• Fossilized algae are used to make dynamite.

Short and long term affects, implications?

Decrease in fish population, Phosphorous levels are high- creating dead zones where there is no life present, water supply shut down, and beach closures.

What is affected by the algae bloom.

What is an algae bloom and why is it a problem?

• Biotic factors: Fish are dying from loss in oxygen, humans and pets are becoming ill or dying from the harmful water, and local plants are also affected.
• Abiotic factors: Water supply is being affected by harmful toxins, and beaches are being shut down.

• An algae bloom is when the algae has a increase in its population and grows fast in the water.
• An abundance of nutrients like phosphate our in freshwater in result in algae blooms.
• The algae in the water acts like bacteria. It reproduces and grows fast and then dies. Other plants and animals then die as a result of this because the dead algae takes the oxygen in the water.