ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WTVG) – University of Michigan researchers said they have identified the specific cyanobacteria responsible for harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie.
The team sequenced the DNA present in samples of water taken from the lake during a blue-green algal bloom, then searched which sequence could create the toxin saxitoxin.
“The main advantage of knowing which organism produces the toxin is that it helps us understand the conditions that cause toxin production—that is, what conditions make those organisms successful,” said Gregory Dick, professor of earth and environmental sciences and of environment and sustainability. “Such information can help guide policy and management, though we’re still a long way from that in this case.”…