Just a heads up..... Since this thing is spreading throughout several states
.....KEEP A CAREFUL EYE ON YOUR DOG AND DON'T LET YOUR DOG DRINK ANY OUTDOOR
WATER FROM ANYWHERE!
Dog-Killing Blue Green Algae Bacteria Found in
Parts of Long Island
by Beth Buczynski, 08/11/13
Read more: Dog-Killing Blue Green Algae Bacteria Found in Parts of Long
Island | Inhabitat New York City
It sounds like the opening scene of a horror movie: a dog in Long Island was
playing with its owner and stopped to take a drink from a local pond. A
short while later, the poor Jack Russell terrier started convulsing and
suddenly died. The cause? A dangerous strain of blue-green algae that has
recently been spotted in a number of Southampton waters, including Mill Pond
in Water Mill and Agawam Lake in Southampton Village. The deadly algae,
better known as cyanobacteria, is the result of fertilizer, pesticides and
other chemicals washed into waterways by stormwater runoff. Residents have
been advised to steer clear of any body of water that shows contamination,
and to keep children and pets away as well.
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Climate Change and Agricultural Runoff to Cause Massive Algae
Blooms in Lake Erie
http://inhabitat
com/lake-erie-sees-tons-of-toxic-green-algae-due-to-climate-change-and-agricu
ture/
For some areas of the world, climate change means hurricanes, tornadoes, or
drought. In Ohio, alterations in temperature, wind patterns, and water
circulation translate into tons of toxic algae floating in Lake Erie. Back
in October of 2011 when these NASA images were taken, nearly one-fifth of
the lake was covered with the slimy cyanobacteria, killing marine life by
depriving the water of oxygen, and producing a number of other foul
byproducts that caused sickness, death, and gender switching in other
species. Aided by agricultural practices from farmers spreading
phosphorus-based fertilizers, the algae blooms could potentially become a
regular occurrence according to a postmortem analysis of the 2011 bloom by
the Carnegie Institution for Science.
The massive algae blooms are reminiscent of instances in the 1960s when
phosphorous entered the Great Lakes from agriculture, sewage systems, and
industrial pollution. When the US and Canada signed the Great Lakes Water
Quality Agreement in the 1970s, the algae all but disappeared. Sadly, due to
the increased frequency of storms caused by climate change, much of the
phosphorous laid down by farmers has begun to wash into the Lakes once more
Fed by warmer weather, nutrients, and lack of water circulation, the algae
is once again thriving.
The Carnegie study looked at climate models to predict the likelihood of
megablooms happening in the future. Due to severe storms, the postulated a
50-percent increase in precipitation events of 20mm or more. Decreasing wind
speeds that fail to stir up the water would leave the algae free to soak up
the sun and blanket the Lakes. They state that much of the harm from the
blooms could be avoided if the agriculture industry adjusted their
management practices. In the meantime, a global effort to curb the effects
of climate change would benefit not only Ohio, but the health of ecosystems
worldwide. Until these changes are made, the algae will either have to be
tolerated or possibly harvested for biofuel.
+ Carnegie Institution for Science
Read more: Lake Erie Sees Tons of Toxic Green Algae Due to Climate Change and
Agriculture | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture,
Green Building
