Michigan researchers believe they’ve found the culprit behind Lake Erie’s blue-green algae
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WTVG) - University of Michigan researchers said they have identified the specific cyanobacteria responsible for harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.
The team sequenced the DNA present in samples of water taken from the lake during a blue-green algal bloom, then searched which sequence could create the toxin saxitoxin.
“The main advantage of knowing which organism produces the toxin is that it helps us understand the conditions that cause toxin production—that is, what conditions make those organisms successful,” said Gregory Dick, professor of earth and environmental sciences and of environment and sustainability. “Such information can help guide policy and management, though we’re still a long way from that in this case.”
Researchers found that the particular strain of Dolichospermum that produced the toxic were less prevalent in areas of the lake with higher ammonium levels.
Their findings are published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
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