Water experts study blue-green algae bloom

FORT MYERS, Fla.– Blue-green algae is back with a vengeance.  

“The algae is thriving because the conditions are just right for them,” said FGCU Water School Professor, Barry Rosen.

Rosen is working with his students to collect samples of the bloom to study.

“The rainy season will come which will give us a flush off the land which could stimulate the growth but also during the rainy season it becomes much more turbulent. The water will get stirred up, they’ll get moved out of the light and they don’t do as well,” said Rosen.

Over the course of the next several days FGCU students will continue taking samples. They will then add nitrogen and phosphorus compounds to the water samples to see how they react.

“It’s as simple as just having these organisms in the water and getting a bloom,” explained Rosen.

Rosen said it is too soon to tell if the bloom could escalate like the summer of 2018. He also advises that you keep in mind the algae is toxic which means you should not swim in it or let your pets in the water.

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