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Heybridge Gravel Pits
Algae are a diverse group of aquatic organisms that have the ability to conduct photosynthesis. Certain algae are familiar to most people; for instance, seaweeds (such as kelp or phytoplankton), pond scum or the algal blooms in lakes. However, there exists a vast and varied world of algae that are not only helpful to us, but are critical to our existence.
Aerial view of an algae plume on the water surface south of Quadra Island. Yes, it was that bright. No photoshop here.
Silver State Pool Service
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The heavy food load and warm summer pond temperatures at Horsethief Canyon Native Fish Facility cause dynamic algae blooms which add dissolved oxygen to the water as photosynthesis occurs.
Photo: Brandee Keuer/USFWS
US Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has pledged $80 million for research into algae-based biofuel.
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www.heatingoil.com/blog/doe-awards-80-million-to-algae-an...
(image: shineanthology.files.wordpress.com)
Desolation Valley Wilderness 1993
These mini-tarns dry up in summer and become flower gardens.
As it warms in June a nice pink algae colonizes the snow in places.
Pyramid Peak at 10k ft. in the background.
Thomas McDowell aged 8
A refuge from refuse.
Honorable Mention: Thomas McDowell, age 8, "A Refuge from the Refuse." According to Thomas's mom, Deanna, "photography is a new hobby for [Thomas]. He is an avid bird watcher and used to sketch birds, but has found photography to suit his bird watching habits better. He photographed a lot of fledglings this spring, while keeping an eye out for roaming neighborhood cats too, and his hobby has really taken off! The creek where he took the shot is through a neighborhood where we ride bikes. When I told him about the photography contest he thought of this waterway immediately and was eager to go stake out a spot. It is about 2 ½ miles from our house. When we approached the area, all of the turtles jumped in. Patiently, he waited on the banks behind a wax myrtle bush and one by one they returned to their sunny spots. We often see heron and osprey feeding around the area. He is very passionate about nature. Our family sponsors an oyster float through CBF on the Elizabeth River where we kayak, and he participates in numerous litter pick ups with cub-scouts. He recently had a letter to the editor published in our local paper urging smokers to not litter their cigarette butts."
Again at my friends' new house. Long time unflushed, but algae kept water somewhat clean. The reflection on the water is the source of sunlight that fed the plants.
Aperture- F4.3
Focal length- 60 mm
Shutter speed- 1/800 sec.
ISO- 80
Nuisance Algae (Cladophora) In Lake Michigan: For the past five years, large quantities of decaying algae have been fouling Wisconsin´s Lake Michigan shoreline. As the algae and organisms trapped in the alga rot, they generate a pungent septic odor that many people confuse with sewage. Nutrient (phosphorus) sources, zebra mussels, and declining lake levels have been implicated in the recent increase in nuisance algae. The presence of rotting Cladophora on Lake Michigan beaches presents aesthetic and odor problems that impairs recreational use of Lake Michigan. This algae, a green algae, does not present a risk to human health (unlike blue-green algae that can produce toxins). However, the rotting algae may provide adequate conditions for bacterial growth and crustaceans deposited on the beach with the decaying Cladophora may attract large flocks of gulls resulting in increased bacteria concentrations from gull fecal material.
Cladophora is a green algae found naturally along the Great Lakes coastlines. It grows on submerged rocks, logs or other hard surfaces. Because of Lake Michigan´s water clarity it has been observed growing at well over 30 feet of water depth. Wind and wave action cause the algae to break free from the lake bottom and wash up on shore. Nuisance levels of Cladophora were also a problem in the 1960´s and 1970´s. Research linked these blooms to high phosphorus levels in the water, mainly as a result of human activities such as fertilizing lawns, poorly maintained septic systems, inadequate sewage treatment, agricultural runoff and detergents containing phosphorus. Due to tighter restrictions, phosphorus levels declined during the 1970´s and Cladophora blooms were largely absent in the 1980´s and 90´s. Phosphorus levels in Lake Michigan continue to remain below the thresholds set in the 1970´s, but recent research suggests that the invasion of zebra and quagga mussels in the Great Lakes are responsible for the increase in algae by increasing the availability of phosphorus for Cladophora and increasing water clarity. Because we can not control zebra mussel populations our only management option is to reduce phosphorus entering Lake Michigan.
So, How does the water cycle play a role in the conservation or facilitation of the Cladophora problem?
First, the water cycle influences the Cladophora problem by Chlorophyll, Oxygen and Nutrient concentrations. For example, nutrient concentrations generally decreased along the 187 mile south to north survey transect.
Illustration of TP surface concentrations at the 10-m sites along the transect with a significant linear decrease in both TP (P = 0.001) and TN (P= 0.001) with linear distance north of Kenosha. The slope coefficients were -0.017 μg/L per mile for TP and -0.725 μg/L per mile for TN. Or, rescaling to change per 100 miles, TP decreased by 1.7 μg/L for every 100 miles north of Kenosha and TN decreased by 72 μg/L for every 100 miles north of Kenosha. This pattern was also observed in the parameters TDP and NO3. This decrease in nutrient concentrations, as one moves south to north, is likely attributed to watershed influences. Land use
transitions from a largely agricultural and urban dominated landscape in the south to a forestry dominated landscape in the far north. There is also some indication of localized watershed influence in these nearshore waters. TP concentrations at Cedarburg are lower than adjacent sites and may reflect the fact that no riverine inputs are located in this section of the coast.
Another indication that allochthonous inputs are influencing ambient nearshore nutrient concentrations come from examining how well year-to-year variability of river inputs is reflected in in-lake nutrient concentrations. Illustration of the relationship between annual river volume inputs (a rough surrogate for runoff and nutrient inputs) and in-lake nutrient concentrations. Even though we collected only 4 years of nutrient data in this study, a strong relationship was observed between mean annual daily flow (based on USGS water years Oct. through Sept.) and in-lake TP concentration (mean of all 10-m sites for each year). This relationship was observed for both the Milwaukee (r2=0.78) and Sheboygan (r2=0.97) rivers and illustrates the strong influence that land use and climate potentially exert on lake nutrient concentrations.
Stations found within the bay of Green Bay displayed somewhat different nutrient characteristics due to the geophysical setting and the large riverine nutrient inputs from the Fox River. The Door County peninsula portion of the Niagara Escarpment prevents the river input from readily mixing with Lake Michigan as a whole. This geologic feature, along with the fact that the Fox River is the largest
external source of nutrients to Lake Michigan, results in greater nutrient concentrations and productivity in the bay. Comparison of average nutrient and Chl‐a concentrations of the lakeside sites with those within the bay: Note that TP concentrations were more than double in the bay than on the lakeside and approximately half of this phosphorus is in the particulate form (the other half being TDP). The bay nutrient concentrations are not evenly distributed, but decrease as one goes from the Fox River’s mouth to Washington Island. The increased ambient phosphorus concentrations in Green Bay results in greater Chl-a concentrations. The increased productivity of the bay subsequently
results in diminished NO3 concentrations.
Where appropriate substrate was present, nearly all of the sites had significant Cladophora growth. The one exception was the southern most site, off shore from Kenosha. The filamentous algae growing there was the green alga Tolypella. The density of growth was considered high from Racine all the way to St. Martin’s Island, MI. While the two most northern sites had Cladophora growth, it did not appear as dense as the other sites.
In northern Green Bay, there appeared to be much less Cladophora growth than on the lake side of the Door County peninsula. Growth that did occur was in water shallower than 10 m. This was because of the reduced water clarity in Green Bay. When Cladophora was collected at the Green Bay sites it was found in 5 m water depth. At the two southern Green Bay sites visited, Henderson Point and Dykesville, very little Cladophora was observed.
The sites in Green Bay were generally higher than the sites on the lake side of the Wisconsin shoreline. Unlike the lakeside sites, the highest productivity rates in the Green Bay sites occurred in June 2006. Values were considerably less in July and September. Although the input of off shore nutrients to the nearshore area occurred prior to the resurgence of Cladophora problems around 1990, the change that facilitated Cladophora growth was the arrival of dressinid mussels in 1988. These mussels provide a substrate for Cladophora attachment, as well as nutrients for the algal growth. The filter feeding of the mussels resulted in improved water clarity which allowed the Cladophora to grow in deeper water. The mussels also likely recycle the P from the off shore waters more than would have occurred prior to their arrival and this further increases Cladophora growth.
The investigative survey conducted over the past 4 years has provided a wealth of information on the occurrence and extent of Cladophora growth along the western Lake Michigan nearshore areas.
In addition, systematic water quality sampling filled an informational void and provided valuable insights
into ambient nearshore nutrient concentrations and dynamics.
In reviewing, a comparison of nitrate-nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations observed in 2004 with historic data from Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties show no increasing or decreasing trends.
The small pond at the park that has a thin layer of algae (or whatever that green stuff is) and the fountain's splashes.