B
barbless
Member
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2008
- Messages
- 483
June 2, 2011 article:
http://www.agu.org/news/press/pr_archives/2011/2011-20.shtml
To summarize: didymo blooms in oligotrophic (low-nutrient, clear coldwater) streams because it is aided by some species of 'helper' bacteria to concentrate the small amount of phosphate nutrients in the water. Then when the first stalks die and decay, they and the bacteria provide even more plant food to the new didymo growth, until it blooms into large mats that cover parts of the stream bottom.
So hopefully there's a way to interrupt or undermine that cycle without doing more harm than good.
http://www.agu.org/news/press/pr_archives/2011/2011-20.shtml
To summarize: didymo blooms in oligotrophic (low-nutrient, clear coldwater) streams because it is aided by some species of 'helper' bacteria to concentrate the small amount of phosphate nutrients in the water. Then when the first stalks die and decay, they and the bacteria provide even more plant food to the new didymo growth, until it blooms into large mats that cover parts of the stream bottom.
So hopefully there's a way to interrupt or undermine that cycle without doing more harm than good.