Climate change seems unfavourable for toxic blue algae
Monday, September 5, 2011 - 11:30
in Earth & Climate
The earth is warming up due to rising carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. NWO-funded researchers have discovered that the increase in carbon dioxide can reduce the nuisance caused by toxic blue algae, a bacterium commonly found in swimming water throughout the Netherlands in the summer. At higher temperatures the blue algae grow better, but due to rising carbon dioxide concentrations the non-toxic variant of blue algae ousts its harmful little brother.