What is Filamentous Algae?
Different species of filamentous algae exist, but all have a similar growth habit. These algae begin growth in the winter and early spring on the pond bottom.
Lyngbya is one group of cyanobacteria of special concern. Long and hair-like, this filamentous alga can form large benthic and surface mats (blooms). Lyngbya normally grows in dense mats at the bottoms of nutrient-enriched lakes and spring-fed systems. These mats produce gasses during photosynthesis that often cause the mats to rise to the surface. At the surface, winds pile the algal mats against shorelines or in navigation channels. These mats can be several acres in size. Studies continue on what influences the cause and duration of lyngbya blooms. In some areas, the blooms cover so much of the pre-existing vegetation that they cause serious damage and eliminate other species. In some places in Florida, lyngbya smothers eelgrass, a preferred food of the endangered West Indian manatee. Some lyngbya species in this genus have been linked to a skin irritant that causes “swimmers’ itch.”
As seen on Lake Blue Heron (September 2018)
