• Ocean

2020 Australian Wildfires Trigger Algal Blooms Thousands of Miles Away

• algal bloom
• Australia
• ocean
• wildfires

By Amy Lupica, ODP Daily Editor Research has found that smoke and ash from Australia’s massive 2019 and 2020 wildfires triggered widespread algal blooms thousands of miles away. The Duke University-led study reported that the phenomenon could be effective in sequestering additional carbon, but algal blooms can also be toxic and devastating to wildlife and […]

• Water

Toxic Algae Blooms Across the U.S.

• algae
• algal bloom
• freshwater
• health

By Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer Toxic algal blooms have been spreading throughout the United States. This year, states like Utah and Washington, Florida, and the Great Lakes are seeing explosive algal growth.  In fact, a report from the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) found cases of toxic algae in every state except Alaska. Last year the EWG […]

• Water

Maine’s Lakes on Thin Ice

• algal bloom
• climate change
• fish
• ice-out
• nitrogen
• phosphorus
• toxic algae

The ice-out date for Maine’s Lake Auburn is now three weeks earlier than it was two centuries ago, the Portland Press Herald reports, and other lakes across New England show similar trends. Climate change is not good for ice, and that includes Maine’s lakes that freeze over every winter. 

Why This Matters: A disrupted winter with lakes that “defrost” earlier has multiple knock-on effects for freshwater: in addition to harming fish in lakes, the resulting large cyanobacteria algae blooms that form can be harmful to human health.

• Ocean

All 21 Beaches in Mississippi Closed Because of Toxic Algae

• algal bloom
• beach closure
• fertilizer
• Mississippi River
• toxic algae

Beachgoers in Mississippi over the long Fourth of July weekend were sorely disappointed — all 21 of the state’s beaches were closed due to a toxic algal bloom that has made the water unsafe for swimming.  The “blue-green” bloom, which has been growing and resulted in beach closures there since June, is caused by the […]

• Ocean

Record number of dolphins beached on SoCal shores

• algal bloom
• atmospheric river
• climate change
• dolphins

In the past two weeks, 6 dolphins have become stranded on Southern California beaches and have left animal rescue organizations puzzled as to why. As the Pacific Marine Mammal Center said, this is a drastic uptick in stranded animals as during this time last year they only responded to one incident of a stranded dolphin. The LA […]