What is sticky, green and flourishing thanks to climate change?

If you have guessed algae, you are right.

New research published in Communications Earth & Environment suggest that algae growth increases in Canada’s lakes – even distant – and climate change is the main culprit.

A team led by researchers from McGill University in Montreal and Laval University analyzed the nuclei of sediment taken by 80 lakes across the country and found that algae increased in the majority of them since the mid -1800s.

For the main author Hamid Ghanbari, the most interesting observation has been a peak in the rate of increased algae growth: since the 1960s, he has increased by seven.

“It was something very surprising for us and when we compared our data with other historical recordings, we discovered that the increase in temperature is a major factor,” said Ghanbari.

In addition to climate change, excess nitrogen and phosphorus can also contribute to the growth of algae when they are transported in navigable channels by runoff of animal manure and chemical fertilizers, rainwater and wastewater.

Algae, as well as bacteria and phytoplankton, are essential for the aquatic food canvas. But too many algae can be a bad thing.

The recently published Study evaluated by peers looked at the growth of algae overall and did not analyze flowers.

While some lakes see certain algae as part of their cycle, Ghanbari said that concern is what will happen if the increase in algae leads to growth outside what is normal.

“This is where the problem begins,” he said. “We do not know at the moment what is this threshold, but we know that the increase in levels of chlorophyll or algae in the lakes could cause several problems.”

Ghanbari has said that excessive algae growth can affect aquatic life and even human health – reduce water quality, exhaust oxygen in water and create flowers that can release dangerous toxins, as residents along the shores of Lake Érié Know too much.

Daryl McGoldrick, responsible for monitoring and monitoring water quality for large lakes for the environment and climate change canada, although the increase in algae growth does not necessarily mean more toxic flowers, there is a risk for aquatic life.

“The study is in accordance with what we see and what we suspect are impacts of warming,” said McGoldrick.

Global and local action can help

Maëlle Tripon, a project manager in Quebec Rivières Foundation, the freshwater advocacy group, said that her team had noticed that when he is warmer, they see more algae on the lakes.

She said that her research point of view is that the fight against algae growth cannot only rely on local action.

“We already knew that we have to change locally-like agricultural practices and, for example, we need a less paved and waterproof surface in cities,” she said.

“But what the study shows is that we also need global policies to mitigate climate change.”

Ghanbari has accepted, but added that individual choices can always help reduce the growth of algae.

“Simple acts such as fertilizer reduction … or properly elimination of household chemicals, these simple acts could really help lakes,” he said.