Why are some lakes full of algae and thick plants?
Plants naturally grow in and around lakes, but sometimes lakes and ponds can get an overgrowth of plants, algae, or bacteria. In many cases, humans are responsible. Chemicals that are used on lawns and in agriculture (like nitrogen and potassium) wash into our water systems. Once there, plants and algae have a feast on this “food.”
Sometimes overgrowths of cyanobacteria (called “blooms”) can make the water scummy and turn it a blue-green color (or other colors). Cyanobacteria produce compounds that impact the taste and odor of water, make fish unpalatable, and even produce toxins that affect human health. Scientists are still studying the causes of these blooms.
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An annotated key to the identification of commonly occurring and dominant genera of algae observed in the phytoplankton of the United States An annotated key to the identification of commonly occurring and dominant genera of algae observed in the phytoplankton of the United States
In early 1979, a retrieval was made for all phytoplankton data contained in the computerized data file of the U. S. Geological Survey. The retrieval revealed the analytical results of 17,959 samples collected and processed between October 1973 and October 1978. Of the approximately 500 genera of freshwater algae reported in the United States, the U.S. Geological Survey observed 321...
Authors
Phillip Greeson
Filter Total Items: 15
Related
Filter Total Items: 13
An annotated key to the identification of commonly occurring and dominant genera of algae observed in the phytoplankton of the United States An annotated key to the identification of commonly occurring and dominant genera of algae observed in the phytoplankton of the United States
In early 1979, a retrieval was made for all phytoplankton data contained in the computerized data file of the U. S. Geological Survey. The retrieval revealed the analytical results of 17,959 samples collected and processed between October 1973 and October 1978. Of the approximately 500 genera of freshwater algae reported in the United States, the U.S. Geological Survey observed 321...
Authors
Phillip Greeson
Filter Total Items: 15
Updated Date: September 10, 2025