NY State Says Algal Blooms Rarer, Though Possible, in Winter. (2018, November 4). Retrieved November 18, 2018, from https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-york/articles/2018-11-04/ny-state-says-algal-blooms-rarer-though-possible-in-winter

The state of New York will no longer issue harmful algal bloom warnings during the winter, but they will note that they can still occur. The algae in the blooms can make people sick since it feeds on phosphorus and nitrogen that could have come from farms and leaking septic systems. These harmful blooms can occur throughout the year but they are less likely to occur in colder temperatures since algae has trouble reproducing in cold weather.

 

This is relevant to environmental issues since we now know that algae blooms are less likely in cold weather. With the average temperature increasing yearly the amount of algae blooms will likely increase with it since reproduction is much easier for algae in warm weather. Knowing this we can attempt to reduce our carbon footprints and then hope for the best and that our fishing industries do not collapse.