Blue-Green Algal Blooms in Wisconsin: Their Identification and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Blue-Green Algal Blooms in Wisconsin: Their Identification and - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jan 24, 2023 354 likes •626 views

Blue-Green Algal Blooms in Wisconsin: Their Identification and Ecology Lake Wisconsin Alliance July 9, 2015 Gina LaLiberte Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Gina.LaLiberte@wisconsin.gov What are they & what do they look like?

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Blue-Green Algal Blooms in Wisconsin: Their Identification and Ecology

Lake Wisconsin Alliance July 9, 2015 Gina LaLiberte Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Gina.LaLiberte@wisconsin.gov

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Okee Bay on Lake Wisconsin, Columbia County – S. Graham

What are they & what do they look like? When, where, and why do they bloom? Are they toxic? Can I even go in the water?

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Blue-green algae are different from true algae

  • Photosynthetic bacteria (cyanobacteria)
  • Native to every lake & river in Wisconsin
  • Buoyancy: they regulate depth in water
  • Temperatures: they like it hot
  • Toxins: produced by some species. Not

all blue-green algae make toxins, and toxins are not made all the time.

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“Blue-green” is misleading

  • S. Greb
  • E. Heath
  • N. Trombly
  • J. Williamson

Intact blooms are most often green in color.

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  • J. Williamson
  • M. Meade
  • B. Butterfield

intact decomposing

pigments are released

Spirogyra

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  • J. Williamson
  • J. Williamson
  • N. Trombly
  • R. McLennan
  • R. McLennan

WDHS

  • T. Moris
  • A. Dryja
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Can be mistaken for duckweeds

Duckweeds (Lemna, Spirodela) have roots Watermeal (Wolffia) is tiny, firm, and grainy in texture. Wolffia are

  • val or doubled ovals

in shape.

Watermeal (Wolffia)

Lemna, Spirodela, Wolffia

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Can be mistaken for pollen

Look for similar yellow “dust” on land

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Can be mistaken for filamentous green algae

Filamentous green algae are long and hair-like.

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Planktonic blue-green algae

Microcystis Anabaena Cylindrospermopsis Aphanizomenon Gloeotrichia

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Oscillatoria mats

  • E. Evensen

Floating Blue-green Algal Mats

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What causes harmful blooms?

  • Excess nutrients are fertilizer for growth of

plants and algae

  • Primarily P, but N is important too
  • Warm water and calm weather

WDNR

  • M. Meade
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  • Species and strains
  • Cell biochemistry
  • Micronutrients (iron)
  • Dissolved carbon
  • Zebra & quagga

mussels; carp

  • Nutrients & cells

from lake sediments

“Favorable environmental conditions”

– Mark Vander Borgh, NCDENR

The details are more complicated…

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What lakes have blue-green algae? Where are blooms most likely to occur?

Blooms likeliest in:

  • Lakes with large

watersheds

  • Shallow lakes
  • Impoundments

They are in ALL lakes!

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  • Grow better in high water temperatures
  • Store phosphorus for later use
  • Nitrogen fixation in some species
  • Blooms are dynamic in space & time

Management & Monitoring Challenges

Lake Monona, Dane County. June 2, 2015. Sites 4.5 km (2.8 miles) apart.

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World Health Organization Guidelines

Graham et al. 2009, based on World Health Organization’s 2003 Guidelines for Safe Recreational Water Environments

Probability of Adverse Health Effects Cell Density (cells/ml) Microcystin-LR (ug/L) Chlorophyll (ug/L) Low < 20,000 < 10 < 10 Moderate 20,000-100,000 10 – 20 10 – 50 High 100,000- 10,000,000 20 – 2,000 50 – 5,000 Very High > 10,000,000 > 2,000 > 5,000

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  • K. Schreiber
  • S. Graham
  • N. Trombly
  • C. Fitzgibbon

31,000 cells/ml 51,000,000 cells/ml 3,000,000 cells/ml 255,000 cells/ml

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Are they toxic? Can I even go in the water?

Posted by public health officials Lack of posted advisory does not mean that algal blooms will not occur in that lake! Blooms change rapidly Results can be slow Expensive!

Can’t we test more? Look for advisory signs

  • J. Williamson

http://bit.ly/1bF5YwK

(Does not imply endorsement by WDNR or WDHS) BBE Moldaenke BBE Moldaenke

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Are they toxic? Can I even go in the water?

How does the water look? Do you have a lot of allergic sensitivities? Skin exposure might affect you.

WDNR

  • T. Bridgeman,

University of Toledo

Can you see your feet in knee-deep water? Milkshake, pea soup, or paint?

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Are they toxic? Can I even go in the water?

Geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) – earthy, musty odors Graham et al. 2010: geosmin & MIB co-occurred with toxins http://bit.ly/1dPjZGC

Cyanotoxins can still be present without odors

  • E. coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium,

Shigella, Norovirus, other pathogens…

Try to avoid swallowing water, no matter how clean it looks (especially after a rainstorm!) Does the water smell?

Giardia CDC DPDx Burpee.com

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How to be safe?

  • Can you see your feet in

knee-deep water? If not, avoid ingesting any water; keep kids & pets out!

  • Avoid swimming in and

boating through blue- green algal scums and “pea soup” water.

  • Always shower after

swimming in a lake, river,

  • r pond.
  • Keep pets out of scummy

water, and wash them off immediately if they swim

  • r wade in water with

lots of algae.

When in doubt, keep out!

  • K. Schreiber, WDNR
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dnr.wi.gov and dhs.wisconsin.gov Search for “algae”