(Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted by the Sherburne Soil & Water Conservation District.
Sometimes it is the smallest of organisms that are the most fascinating.
Algae are the small, single-celled organisms that sometimes turn a lake or pond green or brown in color. There are over 400,000 known varieties of algae, and they can be found in both freshwater and saltwater environments.
Here are some fun facts about algae, courtesy of www.sciencefocus.com:
1). Algae convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, just like trees. They actually create a lot of oxygen; in fact, in a single breath half the oxygen you consume is created by algae;
2). There can be thousands of microscopic algae cells in a single drop of water;
3). Algae form the base of the food chain, without algae there would be no freshwater fish or sea life;
4). Our brains are dependent on the iodine and Omega-3 oils that algae contain. When we don’t eat algae, or animals that consume algae or other iodone/Omega-3 rich plants, we run the risk of thyroid deficiency and lower IQ. Some scientists believe the expansion of the human brain over time was due to access to algae and animals that consume algae;
5). Algae has been used to power cars and US Navy ships, gel your toothpaste, thicken your body lotion, and prevent ice crystals from forming in ice cream.
Algae are clearly very important for our lakes and streams because they feed many insects and small fish and also help to oxygenate the water and regulate pH and other water chemistry variables. However, when algae increase to a higher degree they can start to degrade the water and create an unappealing lake for us to enjoy.
High amounts of algae are termed an “algae bloom”. Algae blooms may last several days to several weeks. They may be widespread across a lake, or because they can move with winds and currents they may be localized to the windward side of the lake. Most algae blooms are unappealing, but not harmful.
However, blue-green algae are able to produce a toxin which is harmful to humans and pets (particularly dogs). Blue-green algae is actually a form of cyanobacteria, but often gets categorized with algae. As the name suggests it has a bright, blueish-green color and sometimes resembles an oil slick or spilled paint as it sits on the waters surface. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) advises that if blue-green algae is suspected, people and animals should be kept out of the water for several days to weeks until the algae has broken down.
As all algae require warm water temperatures and sunlight for growth, lake users should be on the look out for algae blooms (particularly blue-green algae) in the summer months. The websites below are good resources for blue-green algae and Minnesota algae types and options for management:
• https://www.pca.state.mn.us/water/blue-green-algae-and-harmful-algal-blooms;
• https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/aquatic_plants/algae/index.html.
