Brown, J. (2022, August 3). Algae blooms, warming waters cause biggest changes to Tahoe in 50 years, report says. SF Gate. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.sfgate.com/renotahoe/article/algae-blooms-threaten-lake-tahoe-17345685.php

Lake Tahoe’s algae growth is increasing. The article shares this in a recent report. Climate change and microscopic shifts, like the increase in algal growth, as well as the wildfire smoke impact are three topics of focus and are all reasons for the changes the lake is experiencing. Climate change is warming up the lake, the weather is hotter than it has ever been. With less rain and snow the lake water decreases in volume. This is concerning. Algae blooms are more present now in Lake Tahoe because of climate change.

 This article really relates to environmental science because one of the main sources of this issue is climate change. As temperatures rise the problem grows. This article was surprising to me because I have always viewed Lake Tahoe as a place with “crystal clear” water. Now this reputation seems to be changing as algae blooms become more common in Lake Tahoe as well as other bodies of water all over the US. Along with algae blooms increasing, researchers are also now noticing less zooplankton and Mysis shrimp in Lake tahoe. The researchers are trying to learn more about if these things are connected to the algae bloom growth given they are happening all in one year. Scientists are studying all of these impactful environmental science issues and how humans are at the center of the cause. 

Callahan, M. (2022, August 2). Clear Lake residents near massive blue-green algae blooms offered access to treated drinking water. The Press Democrat. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/clear-lake-residents-near-massive-blue-green-algae-blooms-offered-access-to/

In this article the writer expresses the concern for Residents that live near Clear Lake, an algae bloom infested water. The article shows that the algae blooms are cyanobacteria, which means the water may be unsafe to drink. “Depending on the type, cyanotoxins can cause everything from skin irritation to stomach upset to respiratory or neurological symptoms.” The water is also toxic to the aquatic life in the lake. While this has been a problem in Clear Lake for many years we are now learning more about the dangers, causes and environmental impact. The article shared that the lake itself is a problem but because residents get their drinking water from this water the communication about the hazard is also really important and they have had concerns about residents being properly informed. Therefore some residents could still be drinking the water which is unsafe. 

This article makes me think about the impact the blue-green algae blooms have not only on the water they are growing in but also the community. Clear Lake is not only a lake but also a water source for the community and many people are now having to buy bottled water or use refilling stations with filtered water to ensure their water is safe to drink and use. The main cause of the water blooms is the runoff that includes fertilizers. This and the warmer climate, with less rain are creating, unfortunately, the perfect environment for algae blooms. The article didn’t share what they are doing to improve the situation. I think we should focus on the root of the problem, fertilizers and global warming.

Why toxic algae blooms are on the rise across California — and expected to get worse. (2022, June 14). San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.sfchronicle.com/climate/article/Reports-of-harmful-algal-blooms-are-rising-17233948.php

This article focuses on how the rising temperatures across California are impacting the growth of algae blooms in lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Not only does the hot weather negatively affect the water quality, the agricultural runoff is the main problem, according to the article. Sealife is dying because the algae blooms are absorbing the oxygen in the water. The article shares that there are limited effective options in addressing the algae blooms. Prevention is key in solving this issue.

This issue connects to environmental science because it is affecting humans and animals alike in a negative manner. Humans have caused this major spike in algae blooms from the use of fertilizers/pesticides, the chemicals runoff into bodies of water. Another casuse of this problem is climate change as it worsens, the conditions of the water will do the same. The algae blooms are affecting the environment surrounding them. For example the smell is so strong that it can cause headaches and respiratory problems. I know that waiting for the blooms to go away one their own is the most realistic solution. I wonder how long it will take for the blooms to leave by themselves. As of now there is no rules that make “water body managers” report “harmful algal blooms.” I think that if there was a mandate in place people would become more aware of this issue and more awareness would be spread.

As dangerous algal blooms grow, agencies need to pick up the pace. (2022, July 12). The Washington Post. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/12/algal-blooms-epa-noaa-working-group/

This article lays out the harmful effects of algal blooms across the United States and “has been documented in all 50 states, in marine environments as well as in fresh water sources.” Places like Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River are having outbreaks in algae blooms. The beaches are showing signs of green algal due to the increase of pollution caused by fertilizer runoff. This is harmful to all living things that interact with the water. Toxins released by algal blooms create poisonous drinking water. Though Congress has tasked the NOAA, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency with solving this problem, the process is moving too slow.

This article is related to environmental science because while algae blooms are the result of a natural process, the fast paced outbreaks are occurring due to human actions. For example, when farmers are using pesticides and fertilizers on their fields and it rains, the runoff water which carries the fertilizer enters into our lakes and rivers and causes algae blooms to grow. The blooms are also becoming more toxic because of climate change. The GOA is coming up with strategies to help this issue, though I wonder how long this planning process will take. I imagine that this plan will be expensive in order for it to make a difference in the pace at which the algae blooms develop. I think that there needs to be more laws and money put towards the issue in order to make a significant change. 

National Centers for Coastal Ocean Services. (2022, March 15). Economic Impacts of 2018 Florida Red Tide: Airbnb Losses and Beyond. nccos. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://coastalscience.noaa.gov/news/economic-impacts-of-2018-florida-red-tide-airbnb-losses-and-beyond/

This article discusses the economic impacts of red tide on Airbnb in Florida. According to this article, for every sample of water that had red tide in it, the daily rate for Airbnb reduced by $0.45 and reservation days declined by 345. This resulted in a loss of $70 million for Airbnb and that led to a decline of $184 million in tourism expenditures from outside of the state. This article states that over 2,800 jobs were lost and 50% of the total economic losses for the affected areas came from industries that are not directly associated with tourists, these include health services and real estate.

This article shocked me quite a bit. I realize that there were economic effects on Florida, but I never understood how much the red tide affected the state. The article says that 85% of the state’s losses came from the Southwestern Gulf region alone, and 15% of those losses were from spillover effects that happened throughout the whole state.

Selzer, M. (2022, July 6). The state of knowledge on harmful algal blooms of cyanobacteria in the Great Lakes. State of Michigan. Retrieved August 28, 2022, from https://www.michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2022/07/06/the-state-of-knowledge-on-harmful-algal-blooms-of-cyanobacteria-in-the-great-lakes

This article writes about the effects of cyanobacteria blooms in a freshwater environment, the Great Lakes. The great lakes are located up north and are very cold and nutrient poor. Some of the factors for increased blooms have been attributed to changes in agricultural practices, extreme weather events, and increased air temperatures that occur near the shore. Some species of invasive muscles have caused more nutrients to be concentrated near the shore, resulting in a more susceptible area that can be affected by eutrophication. Even though there has been more algae activity in recent years, there needs to be more scientific research done about how climate change affects the algae blooms in the great lakes.

This article was very informational because I did not realize that cyanobacteria could bloom in freshwater. The article also brought up how muscles concentrate the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus into an area that can be easily influenced by eutrophication.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2022, March 18). Florida: Harmful Algal Blooms. National Ocean Service. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/hazards/hab/florida-2018.html

In Florida, there is a persistent algae bloom known as “Red tide”. This algae bloom is especially harmful to humans and it produces neurotoxins called “brevetoxins”. This leads to a pile up of dead fish along the shore and in some cases there have been stranded mammals found. Because of Florida’s tropical weather, the affected area of the tide is unclear and depends on weather that influences the tides, such as a hurricane. The duration of the bloom is also uncertain each occurrence and can last for a few weeks or for about a year.
I was in Florida back in 2018 when this bloom occurred and it sparked my interest in the subject. When I visited the beach it was littered with dead pufferfish and I think some lionfish. I also remember coughing a lot at the beach because of the toxic effects of the algae. I also have an idea of what these blooms can do to oceanside communities because I was there near the ocean for about a week and remembered how often I was coughing.

Evers, J. (2022, May 19). Dead zone. National Geographic Society. Retrieved July 8, 2022, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/dead-zone

Dead zones are often due to a process known as eutrophication. This process happens when cyanobacteria get too many nutrients and proceed to grow extremely fast. This growth is attributed to there being too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the area that these bacteria grow. Eutrophication is more common than ever because of our ever developing agricultural and industrial practices. This article says that we emit 2 times more nitrogen and 3 times more phosphorus than natural cycles. One of the first identified dead zones was observed in Chesapeake bay in 1970 because the western side of the city was used for poultry farming.

In developing countries many dead zones are caused by poorly treated wastewater management. Some sources of fossil fuels cause atmospheric nitrogen levels to rise. The atmospheric nitrogen follows a similar path as the carbon cycle, and gets absorbed into the ocean creating an unbalance in nitrogen level causing the oceans to be more prone to algae blooms and dead zones.

Environmental Protection Agency. (2022, January 31). The Effects: Dead Zones and Harmful Algal Blooms | US EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved August 14, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/effects-dead-zones-and-harmful-algal-blooms

Dead zones happen when a burst of algae bloom and consume all of the oxygen in a certain area. These dead zones kill all life in the affected area except the algae that blooms. These blooms happen when an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus cause the rapid growth of algae. The algae also blocks out the sun and harms aquatic plants and when the algae dies it takes all the oxygen with it and creates an oxygen-less void. The main problem that leads to an algae bloom is nutrient pollution. Nutrient pollution is caused solely by human impact.

It seems that the main cause of nutrient pollution algae blooms is agricultural activities. Many fertilizers have nitrogen and phosphorus to help plants grow. Because our agriculture industry is so widespread across the U.S. it makes many of our bodies off water prone to algae blooms. Some of these blooms are harmful to not just aquatic life, but also towards humans. Some things that we can do in our homes is to reduce fertilizer use, plant native plants, and to not overwater gardens.

Brown, J. (2022, August 3). Algae blooms, warming waters cause biggest changes to Tahoe in 50 years, report says. SF Gate. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.sfgate.com/renotahoe/article/algae-blooms-threaten-lake-tahoe-17345685.php

Lake Tahoe’s algae growth is increasing. The article shares this in a recent report. Climate change and microscopic shifts, like the increase in algal growth, as well as the wildfire smoke impact are three topics of focus and are all reasons for the changes the lake is experiencing. Climate change is warming up the lake, the weather is hotter than it has ever been. With less rain and snow the lake water decreases in volume. This is concerning. Algae blooms are more present now in Lake Tahoe because of climate change.

 This article really relates to environmental science because one of the main sources of this issue is climate change. As temperatures rise the problem grows. This article was surprising to me because I have always viewed Lake Tahoe as a place with “crystal clear” water. Now this reputation seems to be changing as algae blooms become more common in Lake Tahoe as well as other bodies of water all over the US. Along with algae blooms increasing, researchers are also now noticing less zooplankton and Mysis shrimp in Lake tahoe. The researchers are trying to learn more about if these things are connected to the algae bloom growth given they are happening all in one year. Scientists are studying all of these impactful environmental science issues and how humans are at the center of the cause.