Citizen Science – Blue Green Algae

Jul 03, 2024

Despite the rain last Tuesday evening, there was a full house at the pavilion at Gilmour’s Point on Dog Lake for a Citizen Science workshop about the identification, dangers and prevention of Blue-Green algae in Frontenac’s Lakes.

The event was put on in partnership with Cranberry and Dog Lake association, Frontenac Arch Biosphere Conservation and Citizen Science.

The evening began with a presentation from Queen’s PHD biology candidate, Allen Tian, explaining what blue-green algae is, how it occurs and the trends Dog Lake has been experiencing since 2019.

Blue-green algal blooms occur, typically, in late summer/early fall and are caused by large concentrations of phosphate and nitrogen in bodies of water. According to Tian and other sources, these high levels occur when fertiliser containing phosphate and nitrogen end up in runoff from surrounding farms and when septic systems start leaking into the groundwater. When there are high levels of blue-green algae blooms in lakes, it is toxic for humans and animals consuming the water. According to Tian, who has been using drone footage and DNA mapping methods to track blue-green algae blooms in Dog Lake, the lake has been experiencing a slight increase in algae levels, but the levels are not large enough to be detrimental to wildlife and humans that consume the water yet.

After Tian’s presentation, Geof Paul, an Environmental Studies professor at Queen’s who specialises in the water cycle and lives on Dog Lake, discussed how the water cycle and drought conditions that we have been experiencing in recent years has been contributing to the increasing levels of blue-green algae in the water.

According to Paul, when an environment has been experiencing less rainfall than it’s seen historically, when it does rain, the water that reaches the groundwater and water system becomes more concentrated with the chemicals and pollutants it encounters on its way to the lake. This means the water picks up more levels of phosphate and nitrogen and brings it into the lake.

Blue-green algae is dangerous because it is a neurotoxin (a poison that affects the nervous system), a hepatotoxin (a toxin that affects the liver) and a dermato toxin (a toxin that affects the skin). This means it can be fatal to wildlife and livestock that consume the water. While it makes humans very sick in high levels, fatalities are rare. Once it is found in a body of water, the water doesn’t become safe to drink after boiling because the high temperature breaks down the molecule and releases the toxin into the water and air.

Throughout the day, blue-green algae blooms and retracts and once it reaches shore, the sun bleaches the blooms and causes them to dry out. This process also releases toxins. It is dangerous to an ecosystem because it is not nutrient rich, so organisms in water that normally feed off of algae, are not getting a good source of food from the blue-green algal blooms. Once an organism eats the blue-green algae, it stays in that organism until the organism is eaten by a fish, when a fish eats too many of those organisms it’s insides become concentrated with the toxins of the algae, causing the fish to become very sick and unhealthy for larger fish or humans that eat them

The next presentation was given by Shirley French, a retired research lab technician, Cranberry Lake resident and a volunteer from Citizen Science who explained how to identify blue-green algae using different methods.

According to French, blue-green algae has a distinct and pungent smell but there are other more accurate identification methods besides smell.

The first method she explained was the “paint-stick method”, which is exactly what it sounds like - dip a stick in water that looks like it is experiencing an algal bloom, if it comes out of the water looking like it was dipped in paint, it’s most likely blue-green algae. The next method is the mason jar method: collect water from the body of water just below the surface of the water (to avoid scum at the top of the water) in a mason jar (about ¾ full) and leave it in the refrigerator undisturbed for 24 hours, if the algae raises to the top or forms a green ring around the air/water divide in the jar, it is most-likely blue-green algae. The final method used a tool called a foldscope, which was available for purchase for $10 at the event. A foldscope is a microscope that is as flat as a piece of paper and connects to a user's phone so they can examine microscopic things in the environment easily. French showed the audience different types of blue- green algae and how to identify them using the foldscope with models that she had made. The different types of blue-green algae are:

1. Microcystis, which under the microscope looks wispy and green.
2. Nostoc, which under the microscope looks like a string of green peas.
3. Aphanaxoman, which under the microscope looks like grass cuttings.

The participants are encouraged to identify blue-green algae using their foldscopes and uploading photos onto iNaturalist, an app that records ecological data in an area and can get confirmation on an identification from experts in the field. iNaturalist helps ecologists in the area track levels as well as warns the public about blue-green algae blooms in their area. There is a group on iNaturalist called “Algae-watch Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region” that can be searched for in the app.

According to French, addressing an environmental hazard early is the key to preventing a blue/green algae bloom in a body of water. If you are a farmer or resident with a septic system or run off close to a shoreline, ensure that your septic system is not leaking and that you are not using fertiliser that contains heavy amounts of phosphate or nitrogen.

If you suspect a body of water near you has a blue-green algae bloom, report it to the Ontario Spills Action Centre using their online form or their 24-hour toll-free phone number: 1-866-MOE-TIPS (663-8477) or contact the Kingston Public Health Unit at 613-549-1232