Lake Erie algal blooms 'seeded' internally by overwintering cells in lake-bottom sediments

The findings advance scientists' understanding of the basic biology driving the annual summer blooms, which are both an unsightly nuisance and a potential public health hazard. In addition, the work identifies a mechanism to explain the rapid increase in Lake Erie bloom size and spatial extent in early summer.

"The study suggests that the initial buildup of blooms can happen at a much higher rate and over a larger spatial extent than would otherwise be possible, due to the broad presence of viable cells in sediments throughout the lake," said study lead author Christine Kitchens, a research technician at the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) at U-M.