The Landsat-5 image shows Lake Erie and a small portion of Lake St. Clair enveloped in a harmful algae bloom in 2011. The fluorescent green swirls in the lake are mats of cyanobacteria, and the high levels of agriculture and urbanization around the lake offer a clue as to why the algae bloom is happening in the first place. Imaging algae blooms like this one is important for quantifying the bloom and for analyzing the success or failure of management efforts on the lake. Harmful algae blooms have devastating negative effects on lakes like Lake Erie and are an increasing cause for concern with increased human activity and climate change.
No comments:
Post a Comment