River mystery solved: Scientists discover how 'Didymo' algae bloom in pristine waters with few nutrients

The pristine state of unpolluted waterways may be their downfall, according to new research. A species of freshwater algae that lives in streams and rivers, called Didymo for Didymosphenia geminata, is able to colonize and dominate the bottoms of some of the world's cleanest waterways -- precisely because they are so clear. Didymo does so with a little help from its friends -- in this case, bacteria -- which allow it to make use of nutrients like phosphorus.

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