Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): An Overview
An algal bloom forms when algae, a photosynthetic organism, rapidly grows in an environment like a body of marine or freshwaters. Not all algal blooms are bad; in fact, algae are crucial members of most aquatic ecosystems. Algae is considered harmful when it dominates in an environment and particularly produces toxins, resulting in a harmful algal bloom (HAB). HABs therefore pose a public health threat from the toxins produced and emitted from HABs as well as endangering other organisms within the ecosystem. Looking at a body of water covered in algae cannot determine whether or not a HAB is present. Testing and sampling are required to determine the presence of a HAB as not all algae produce toxins; many researchers focus on cyanobacteria (also known as "blue-green algae") when assessing for HABs in freshwater as this algae is known to produce many different kinds of cyanotoxins. Notably, no HABs have ever been recorded on Lacawac property, but there have been blooms on Lake Wallenpaupack, most notably in 2019 and 2020. Algal blooms can result from an array of causes, but many appear to be triggered by eutrophication of waters. This process results in a large increase in nutrients (such as nitrogen and phosphorus) within the waterbody which may be human accelerated or driven. Examples include agricultural, industrial, and residential runoff that may contain fertilizers or cleaning products containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus that feeds algal growth.
More In-Depth Information For You:
Table of Contents:
Algae
Algae Characteristics and Ecological Importance
Algal Blooms - Too Much of a Good Thing Can Be Bad
What Algal Blooms Might Look Like at Lakes Near You
HABs and Algal Blooms at Lacawac
How to Stay Safe at Local Lakes: Warnings, Advisories, and What You Can Do to Help
Join PLEON's Citizen Science Project!
.PLEON image of lake surface algal bloom utilized for background
Algae
Algae are a diverse group of “simple” organisms called protists that contribute significantly to oxygen production and food chains. These organisms vary in size and may only be a single cell visible under a microscope or may be multicellular and visible to the human eye: some familiar examples include pond scums, kelps and seaweeds, phytoplankton, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Algae are abundant on Earth as they come in many different forms and different species exist in freshwater and marine environments and are likely to exist in both terrestrial and aquatic environments wherever light touches. Although most commonly found or noticed in aquatic environments, algae can grow on walls, trees, and soils and may even form symbiotic relationships with animals and fungi. Algae can survive depths of up to 250 m in marine environments and may even be found in hot springs and lava flows!
Top left image of phytoplankton by NOAA at: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/phyto.html
Top right image of pond scum from Kentucky State at: https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/images/Algae%201.jpg
Bottom left image of a kelp forest taken by NOAA and found at: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/kelp.html
Bottom right is a micrograph of blue-green algae taken by B.R. Speer and found at: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee439/node/693
Top right image of pond scum from Kentucky State at: https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/images/Algae%201.jpg
Bottom left image of a kelp forest taken by NOAA and found at: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/kelp.html
Bottom right is a micrograph of blue-green algae taken by B.R. Speer and found at: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee439/node/693
Algae Characteristics and Ecological Importance
Image from lakeaccess.org
Algae like many plants are autotrophic, meaning they derive energy from the sun using photosynthesis and store this energy in carbohydrates like glucose. Many algae and plants have a pigment called chlorophyll that aids in the process of photosynthesis. Through this process, algae benefit us and bodies of water by taking in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and produce oxygen as a byproduct. The carbohydrates produced as a product of photosynthesis are stored in the algae and fuel organisms higher up the food chain like larval fish and amphibians, zooplankton, insects, and even some waterfowl!
Some things that make algae different from plants are:
Some things that make algae different from plants are:
- Algae do not have roots
- Algae lack leaves
- Algae do not have vascular systems
- This system is similar to the circulatory system in humans - our blood and what pumps it! This system in plants circulates nutrients and water.
Algal Blooms - Too Much of a Good Thing Can be Bad
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Algal blooms are booming growths of algae in the water that can be green, blue, brown, or red in color with a typical appearance of spilled paint or scum. Concern for algal blooms rises when blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, blooms in aquatic environments due to the different cyanotoxins this algae produces.
Regardless of toxin production, any algal bloom can threaten an ecosystem, property value, recreation, business, and water quality. What drives algal blooms and HABs to boom? Driving factors for algal blooms:
What blooms may mean for the health of a lake:
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To learn more about the history and origin, identification in the field, unique morphology, growth of colonies, specialization of cells in colonies, lab applications, and predation of cyanobacteria watch this episode of Pondlife published by the American Museum of Natural History! Algae collected in the video come from ponds in New York City.
For more information on the chemistry of cyanotoxins and harmful algal blooms check out this video published by Reactions!
Special look at algal blooms in Lake Erie and consequences from blooms: half a million people were left without usable water due to an algal bloom. For more information on this particular Great Lake, its blooms, and ecological impacts of HABs across the United States watch this video published by NBC News Learn.
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What Algal Blooms Might Look Like At Lakes Near You
Photo taken by: Wilson Lab, Auburn University
PLEON photo
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PLEON photo
Photo taken by: Wilson Lab, Auburn University
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HABs and Algal Blooms at Lacawac
- No known HABs or algal blooms???
- Lacawac is considered an oligotrophic lake, meaning algal productivity is low in this lake.
- Get on the R shiny app and get data for total nutrients, temperature, and chlorophyll if possible.
- Figures below made on the R shiny app
How to Stay Safe at Local Lakes: Warnings, Advisories, and What You Can Do to Help
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When visiting your local lake, look out for this infograph, advisory, and warning signs that may be found at your lake. These graphics were provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/HABs/Pages/default.aspx. It is recommended to avoid contact with water that may have a harmful algal bloom. This is generally determined by visual observation.
Some observations of potential HABs may include:
If you suspect a HAB:
If contact or ingestion with water occurs for either a pet or human:
Some observations of potential HABs may include:
- Lake is green in color with visible algal clumps in it.
- The lake has a paint spill or grass clippings appearance.
- Presence of pond scum or green, bubble-like appearance on the surface.
- The water column of the lake has a pea soup consistency or appearance.
- Water is noticeably different in color (most likely a green or green-blue but may range from yellow, brown, and red).
If you suspect a HAB:
- AVOID water activities like swimming, fishing, kayaking, paddling, or canoeing.
- AVOID contact with water.
- Keep pets away from water.
- Report a potentially harmful algal bloom to the HABs Task Force of Pennsylvania at HABs@pa.gov.
If contact or ingestion with water occurs for either a pet or human:
- Watch for signs of poisoning for the first few hours after contact with water.
- Call your doctor, veterinarian, or poison control center for medical advice.
- Wash your body or a pet with clean freshwater and soap if possible.
Live Near Lake Lacawac or Wallenpaupack and Want to Do More? Join PLEON's Citizen Science Project!
PLEON stands for Pocono Lakes Ecological Observatory Network; this organization is part of GLEON which monitors lakes worldwide. This organization seeks to better understand lakes within the Pocono region as environmental factors contribute to a number of potentially detrimental events that may significantly change these bodies of water. One set of such events are harmful algal blooms. PLEON studies different factors such as cloud cover, water temperature, and total nutrients of Lake Wallenpaupack. This lake is a particularly large and recreational lake, an attempt at understanding when and why algal blooms occur through this research and data collection may aid in the development of future preventative measures or help us predict when they occur. This data set is collected by interns at Lacawac Sanctuary and primarily through the Wallenpaupack PLEON Citizen Science Project, leaning on the help of volunteers from the community across marinas at Lake Wallenpaupack. If interested in helping with this project beginning in the month of May annually, contact the Director of Science and Research at Lacawac Sanctuary, Beth Norman, at: beth.norman@lacawac.org.
PLEON not only studies Lake Wallenpaupack but is tasked with studying many different lakes across the Pocono region. Across the United States, algal blooms have soared in frequency over the past decade. Monitoring of algal blooms is difficult and has many challenges, but PLEON works alongside lake associations in the region to monitor lakes in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Ten lakes were recruited in a PLEON 2019 Lakes Survey and sampled for potentially toxigenic algae (PTOX screening) with each lake sampled at 2 sites. Of the total 20 sites, 13 of these sites had potentially toxigenic taxa. Upon toxin analysis, these sites had negative levels of toxins or toxin levels below reporting level. Four of these lakes had visible blooms, while others did not. These results emphasize the importance of monitoring lakes for HABs as they have a rapid turnaround and may change in composition quickly; studies like these may help scientists develop plans to mitigate impacts of harmful algal blooms in the future. To learn more about the sampling process and surveys PLEON has performed, watch the videos of the HABs PLEON workshop led by Lauren Knose and Dr. Beth Norman below!
PLEON not only studies Lake Wallenpaupack but is tasked with studying many different lakes across the Pocono region. Across the United States, algal blooms have soared in frequency over the past decade. Monitoring of algal blooms is difficult and has many challenges, but PLEON works alongside lake associations in the region to monitor lakes in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Ten lakes were recruited in a PLEON 2019 Lakes Survey and sampled for potentially toxigenic algae (PTOX screening) with each lake sampled at 2 sites. Of the total 20 sites, 13 of these sites had potentially toxigenic taxa. Upon toxin analysis, these sites had negative levels of toxins or toxin levels below reporting level. Four of these lakes had visible blooms, while others did not. These results emphasize the importance of monitoring lakes for HABs as they have a rapid turnaround and may change in composition quickly; studies like these may help scientists develop plans to mitigate impacts of harmful algal blooms in the future. To learn more about the sampling process and surveys PLEON has performed, watch the videos of the HABs PLEON workshop led by Lauren Knose and Dr. Beth Norman below!
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Resources Used:
Title image: https://www.deq.ok.gov/state-environmental-laboratory-services/environmental-public-health-information/harmful-algal-blooms/what-are-cyanobacteria/
https://eol.org/docs/discover/algae
https://carnegiescience.edu/news/what-can-plants-learn-algae
https://www.britannica.com/science/algae
https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/HABs/Pages/default.aspx
https://eol.org/docs/discover/algae
https://www.livescience.com/54979-what-are-algae.html
https://www.aquaticbiologists.com/planktonic-algae/ https://www.clemson.edu/extension/water/stormwater-ponds/images/aquatic_plants/euglena_sanguinea_bloom.JPG
https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/2021/inside-the-world-of-ti.jpg
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/kelp-forest.jpg
https://www.deq.ok.gov/wp-content/uploads/state-environmental-laboratory-services/Microscope_BGA_2-1200x411.jpg
https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/images/Algae%201.jpg
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms#learn
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms
https://www.cdc.gov/habs/prevention-control.html
May want to incorporate: https://thevirtualfield.org/video/harmful-algal-blooms/
Page created by: Alexandra Bros. 2022.
Title image: https://www.deq.ok.gov/state-environmental-laboratory-services/environmental-public-health-information/harmful-algal-blooms/what-are-cyanobacteria/
https://eol.org/docs/discover/algae
https://carnegiescience.edu/news/what-can-plants-learn-algae
https://www.britannica.com/science/algae
https://www.dep.pa.gov/Business/Water/HABs/Pages/default.aspx
https://eol.org/docs/discover/algae
https://www.livescience.com/54979-what-are-algae.html
https://www.aquaticbiologists.com/planktonic-algae/ https://www.clemson.edu/extension/water/stormwater-ponds/images/aquatic_plants/euglena_sanguinea_bloom.JPG
https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/2021/inside-the-world-of-ti.jpg
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/kelp-forest.jpg
https://www.deq.ok.gov/wp-content/uploads/state-environmental-laboratory-services/Microscope_BGA_2-1200x411.jpg
https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/images/Algae%201.jpg
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms#learn
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms
https://www.cdc.gov/habs/prevention-control.html
May want to incorporate: https://thevirtualfield.org/video/harmful-algal-blooms/
Page created by: Alexandra Bros. 2022.