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Great Lakes Harmful Algal Blooms
Some of the Great Lakes have experienced a resurgence of algal blooms in the last few years, especially Lake Erie and parts of Lake Huron. These HABs include toxic cyanobacteria blooms that are usually dominated by the HAB species Microcystis. Some of these organisms produce hepatotoxins and neurotoxins that can cause animal and human illness and death. They also produce compounds which make the water taste and smell foul and can impart a bad taste to fish. In addition, the high biomass levels can lead to bottom water oxygen depletion (hypoxia), which kills other organisms. Macroalgal blooms, which can build up on beaches and impact tourism and recreation, are also a problem in the Great Lakes.CSCOR-funded research is helping to evaluate the most cost effective “alert” protocols to monitor for toxic cyanobacterial blooms and to improve identification and response to Freshwater HAB events. A team of NOAA-funded scientists is developing an integrated HAB alert system of detection methods which combines the application of satellite, conventional HAB detection methods, and novel quantitative molecular tools to detect, assess, predict, control, and mitigate HAB events. This practical, tiered alert approach to monitoring potentially toxic cyanobacterial blooms on Lake Erie will be refined and expanded upon over the next few years, incorporating advances in transport modeling that will allow predictions of bloom movement. Researchers are also coordinating with public health and water quality managers to raise awareness about toxic HAB impacts and the need for sustained HAB monitoring in the Great Lakes.