cross, a social media and marketing professional, has been a fan of swift since the 31-year-old singer released “love story” in 2008. she feels she has grown up just “one era behind her’s” and views swift as an older sister of sorts. she is not alone in feeling this connection to swift; hundreds of fans expressed similar sentiments. 

for fans of swift, the last year and a half have been nothing short of overwhelming. the singer-songwriter released two surprise albums in 2020 and began releasing her re-recorded albums, with “red” slated to release this november. sister albums “folklore” and “evermore” expanded swift’s impact beyond the pop music charts and have now piqued the interest of an entirely new group: conservation scientists. 

these scientists are interested in the impact that swift’s use of nature-based language has had on environmental empathy. it could be the first domino to fall in a series of events that leads to resolving many ecological issues. 

“pop culture is part of how we see and know things,” said jeff opperman, the global lead freshwater scientist for the world wildlife fund and author of the new york times article ‘taylor swift is singing us back to nature.’ “we need artists like taylor swift beginning to integrate [nature] into their lyrics. it’s not going to solve [climate change] on its own by any means, but it’s a brick in rebuilding that bridge between us and nature.”

opperman’s interest in swift’s lyrics began when he decided to listen to the album “folklore” at the recommendation of several peers. he first noticed that all of the short videos for the album on spotify were of swift observing nature. slowly, he realized how often swift wove natural imagery into the lyrics of her songs.

“she’s in a meadow, she’s in a forest, she’s walking along a lake… it often takes a while for the lyrics to kind of sink in. you don’t really hear all the words, and then you start listening, and it’s like, ‘oh! she keeps referencing parks and trees and creeks and lakes and all this stuff,’” opperman observed. 

opperman began figuring out just how many more nature-themed words swift used compared to other pop artists. he compared the lyrics of the 32 songs on “folklore” and “evermore” to the first 32 songs on spotify’s today’s top hits playlist and found that she uses nature-based language seven times as frequently as the other pop songs. 

opperman’s analysis shows that swift’s use of nature-related words is highly uncommon in modern music. a 2017 study published by the association for psychological science titled “a growing disconnection from nature is evident in cultural products” found that the use of nature-related words in song lyrics declined by 63% from the 1950s to the first decade of the 21st century. their analysis of nature-related words in english works of fiction and film storylines found similar results. 

“it’s an indication that the culture doesn’t pay attention to nature or the most beautiful aspects of nature as much… if you value something, you would probably think more about it, talk about it more,” said selin kesebir. kesebir is an associate professor of organizational behavior at the london business school and the lead scientist on the study. 

the researchers found that as one encounters nature more frequently, it is more likely that they would include nature-related concepts in cultural creations. when they do not spend time in nature, they will not likely include a reference to it in a song, poem, or film. 

“the creative process requires creators to access elements of conceptual knowledge stored in their minds and to combine these elements (ward & kitayama, 2010). this means that nature-related concepts can make their way into cultural products if they are stored in the minds of cultural creators and are cognitively accessible to them,” the study stated. “conversely, if creators have limited encounters with nature or if these encounters do not register with them, nature is less likely to feature in their work.”

kesebir and her team found that urbanization and technological change are likely reasons for the declining interest in nature. technology has become a replacement for the joy, recreation, and entertainment that nature once provided.

the researchers also believe that these findings are of concern due to the strong evidence that documents the positive effects of contact with nature and because “cultural products not only reflect the prevailing culture, they also shape it.” this belief means that as people lose physical contact with nature and do not hear or see it in cultural products, such as songs and movies, it creates a negative feedback loop that diminishes interest in nature altogether. 

“if you don’t have these cultural role models, then you are less likely to enact that on your own… if you observed other people doing that, then you will be more likely to do that on your own,” said kesebir. 

kesebir, a ph.d. in social psychology, believes that swift’s impact on redeveloping this connection to nature could be significant, especially because she is this role model to so many people. she believes that swift has far more reach than authors like ralph waldo emerson, who wrote about nature in the past. 

“i think it’s this key sort of on-ramp to becoming an active conservationist. that first step is like, ‘oh, the woods are pretty. taylor swift liked it; maybe i should go outside, take some pictures.’ i think that’s definitely a key first step on that continuum. at sustain, we like to just take that to the next step further and link it to a call to action,” said betsy mortensen, the ceo and co-founder of sustain. this non-profit organization partners environmental organizations with the music industry. 

sustain holds song-writing retreats that bring people into national parks to connect with nature and form an emotional connection to public lands. sustain also has a program called trail sessions, which pairs outdoor concerts with guided educational hikes at public lands. 

“70% of people that attend trail sessions have never visited our featured locations before, which kind of stunned me. so it is like a big part of the reason that people are coming out to these is because of the music component that they’re attracted to, like, ‘oh, i know this band, this sounds cool. i feel comfortable going to this place that i’ve never been because the band is there,’” said mortensen, who has a master’s degree in environment, society, and development. “95% of people intend to return to these places on their own.”

however, mortensen and sustain co-founder, harrison goodale, said that swift’s nature-related lyrics are just the first step in inspiring people to connect to the outdoors. 

“i think that there is significance if the artists were able to promote the conservation efforts in terms of explaining why they’re choosing to do nature, rather than just be like, ‘oh, this is an aesthetic,’” said goodale.

goodale has a degree in music education and is a musician himself. he believes that albums like swift’s should do more than just use nature as an aesthetic. instead of just explaining why she likes trees, goodale thinks that a call to action that explains the importance of these trees could do a lot to preserve them. 

both opperman and kesebir also believe that swift’s music on its own will not solve issues like climate change. still, swift may unintentionally disband this negative feedback loop by creating cultural products that increase interest in nature. 

however, cross is an example of a fan of swift’s who has found herself caring more about nature due to the lyrics in “folklore” and “evermore.” on top of spending more time with her chickens to pose them for photos, cross has connected with specific lyrics that have drawn her closer to nature. one of the bonus tracks on the “folklore” album is titled “the lakes,” which includes vivid imagery in the lyrics. an example of these lyrics is, “i want auroras and sad prose // i want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet.” this song, in particular, led to cross paying more attention to her environment.

“i would say i paid more attention to lakes, which is so weird because obviously, lakes are pretty big here in vermont; we have a ton of them. i never really loved looking at them, but i never noticed how beautiful they were with the mountains behind them, and now i always feel like in my head i can really take me to the lakes, and i want to go there and spend more time there,” cross said. 

although there is no empirical evidence that swift’s music has led to more people becoming conservationists, anecdotes like cross’ prove that it is possible.

“there is this cultural deficit, and if the biggest pop star in the world does this, well, that’s at least a start in repairing the cultural deficit,” opperman said.

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on friday, nov. 13, michigan gov. gretchen whitmer utilized her executive powers, in conjunction with the department of natural resources director daniel eichinger, to revoke the easement allowing a crude oil pipeline—line 5—to operate in the straits of mackinac. the decision comes after more than 15 months of investigation into possible environmental and safety risks.

enbridge, the energy company operating line 5, will have until may 2021 to shut the pipeline down. enbridge is predicted to fight the easement’s revocation in court, but, until then, will continue to seek the necessary permits to proceed with their tunnel project. the energy company is relying on the michigan public service commission (mpsc) to approve its request in an ongoing contested case.

but a december 9 mpsc meeting may have delayed enbridge’s desired outcome; the board decided that whitmer’s notice fundamentally changes what each party is hoping for out of the permit decision, and the case will revert to an administrative judge to redefine the case’s scope. the decision pleased environmental groups, who see it as a step backward for enbridge.

just miles east of the towering mackinac bridge lies a tiny island suspended in colonial history. mackinac island, the jewel of the midwest, is home to a permanent population of just 473, but hosts over a million visitors each summer.

the island’s culture revolves around resisting modernity. no cars are allowed; all travel must be carried out via bicycle or horse. colonial homes are maintained for tourists’ pleasure, and old-fashioned fudge shops decorate main street. however, just miles west of the lake huron paradise lies a 645-mile, 30-inch-diameter crude oil pipeline constantly at risk of a rupture.

currents running through the straits of mackinac on any given day deliver double the power of the headwaters of the mississippi river, and the lake currents change directions every three days.

imagine a piece of steel wire in the hands of an eager child. the wire is strong, flexible, and able to maintain its shape without difficulty—that is, until it gets bent one too many times. suddenly, all that is left are two fractured, sharp pieces, crumbled under the pressure of the violent contortions.

this is the prognosis of many experts for line 5. the 67-year-old pipeline—designed to last 50 years—has seen better days, and now threatens to wreak havoc on great lakes ecosystems, the public health of local communities and the economies of every state bordering lakes michigan and huron.

“a worst-case scenario is a wintertime rupture in rough seas. it would be catastrophic to those communities and to the environment, the habitats, and the wildlife in the straits. it’s just a really risky, dumb place to put a pipeline. and that’s not counting the other almost 400 water crossings that enbridge themselves say exist,” said nathan murphy, director of environment michigan.

a 2016 study by the university of michigan’s graham sustainability institute formed the foundation of many advocacy groups’ arguments to shut down line 5. the study simulated different possibilities for spills in the straits and how the spill, greatly impacted by current and wind changes, would affect lakes michigan and huron and nearby shoreline.

“line 5 is monitored 24/7 by a dedicated team. if there is a change in pressure or flow, automatic shut off valves on either side of the straits crossing will immediately shut off flow in minutes and activate trained enbridge responders. the bottom line is enbridge will take full responsibility and pay for all costs related to an incident.  further, federal law imposes an obligation on any party responsible for such an incident to pay all costs for cleanup, restoration, and remediation,” said ryan duffy, communications strategist for enbridge.

enbridge inc. has a poor track record when it comes to preventing spills and cleaning them up when they happen. their 2010 pipeline spill in the kalamazoo river has gone down in history as the largest inland oil spill to ever occur. it led to the evacuation of residents and a four-year-long cleanup process that cost enbridge $700 million—$50 million more than its insurance policy.

third-party agencies such as the national transportation safety review board and the environmental protection agency found that enbridge had failed numerous times to implement safety standards, such as confronting documented and growing cracks along the pipeline, that could have prevented the devastating spill.

a line 5 rupture could result in 1.27 million gallons of oil dumped into the lakes, which would not only devastate ecosystems in the great lakes region but also end the delicate economic viability of local communities such as mackinac island, mackinaw city, and st. ignace.

in 2018, tripadvisor ranked mackinac island number one on its “10 hottest destinations for summer” list. the island beat out renowned locations such as nantucket, massachusetts and block island, rhode island.

“mackinac island is the number one tourism destination in michigan. most people, especially in the past season, see it as a great place for outdoor recreation. as you bike around the island, you can look out into the straits and see the mackinac bridge, and just past the bridge is line 5,” said anneke myers, mackinac island city councilperson.

in 2019, mackinac island filed a petition against the michigan department of environmental quality’s decision to grant two permits to enbridge that would allow the company to extend operations of the dual crude oil and natural gas pipeline for another 10 years.

“we draw water right out of the lake. we process the water here on the island. if there was a spill, we’d have to shut that down. we would have no water supply, and we’d have to evacuate all our citizens and tourists that are here. we have an evacuation plan drawn up, in case there was a spill,” said myers.

mackinaw city ferry companies have told island leaders that a spill was to occur, the ferries would be removed from the water, leaving mackinac island residents and tourists with no transportation options to depart the island.

“we’d have no water and no transportation, which would result in the collapse of our economy,” said myers.

enbridge argues that northern michigan relies on line 5 for much of its fuel. “the region–including wisconsin, indiana, ohio, pennsylvania, ontario, and quebec–would see a shortage of 14 million gallons a day of gas, diesel and jet fuel every day (if line 5 shut down). this represents 45% of the supply,” said duffy.

the fate of the pipeline lies in the hands of major michigan government officials, namely, whitmer and attorney general dana nessel.

“whitmer campaigned on the idea of shutting down line 5. here we are, years later, and her actions have been less than we hoped for. enbridge’s contract is with the dnr, which is under whitmer’s jurisdiction, so if she finds out that enbridge is breaking any part of the contract, she can essentially give them notice that the contract is done with,” said holtz.

the line 5 controversy has been trademarked by gubernatorial inaction. former gov. rick snyder is known to have made backroom deals with enbridge to help push the construction of the new tunnel through in his lame-duck period. the whitmer administration has proved slightly more aggressive on line 5, with attorney general nessel leading the charge in the courts.

in 2019, nessel filed a lawsuit against enbridge in which she challenges the validity of the original easement, with the goal being shutting line 5 down permanently. gov. whitmer took over and requested a review of the easement, and in july of 2020, wrote a letter addressed to al monaco, ceo of enbridge, asking that he shut the line down in response to numerous reports of damage.

while government leaders have dawdled and embraced their ambivalent tendencies, line 5 continues to pump 23 million gallons of crude oil each day through the great lakes at its most precarious point, risking michigan’s access to clean water, a healthy environment and regional economic stability in large swaths of the state.

“under longstanding principles of michigan’s common law, the state, as sovereign, has an obligation to protect and preserve the waters of the great lakes and the lands beneath them for the public. the state serves, in effect, as the trustee of public rights in the great lakes for fishing, hunting, and boating for commerce or pleasure,” according to the michigan supreme court.

the state court cannot lawfully relinquish its duty to protect michigan’s natural resources, even though this move has been made by past administrations. it is up to gov. whitmer to take back control over an area that is legally her jurisdiction and shut down line 5, and finally, she has.

the notice issued by the governor’s office and the department of natural resources requires enbridge to cease operations of the pipeline by may 2021, with hopes that this period of time will allow for a peaceful and orderly transition while supporting michigan’s energy needs. whitmer has also filed a lawsuit with the ingraham county circuit court to gain legal support for this action.

“after spending more than 15 months reviewing enbridge’s record over the last 67 years, it is abundantly clear that today’s action is necessary. enbridge’s historic failures and current non-compliance present too great a risk to our great lakes and the people who depend upon them,” said eichinger in the governor’s office’s press release. “our number one priority is protecting the great lakes and we will continue to work with our partners across michigan in pursuit of that objective.” 

it is unlikely that enbridge will take the notice sitting down—either way, this development mentions nothing about the looming tunnel project.

“enbridge remains confident that line 5 continues to operate safely and that there is no credible basis for terminating the 1953 easement allowing the dual line 5 pipelines to cross the straits of mackinac,” states enbridge’s press release responding to the notice.

while a long period of litigation surely awaits this case, environmental advocacy groups celebrated across the midwest as the news broke. whitmer’s bold action indicates a commitment to the health and wellness of the great lakes, a critical component of michigan’s soul, during a time when the state struggles to unify. if successful, residents of the great lakes state can drink, swim, and live peacefully knowing that the ever-lurking threat is no longer.

“locals baffled by mysterious zig zag lines formed on eerie frozen lake in iceland,” read the uk express. 

“speculation started and there was no shortage of alternative explanations from alien activity and unknown monsters in the lake to conspiracy theories,” commented park official einar ae saemundsen for the irish news. 

locals had reason to be baffled. the crack appeared in a section of the lake that was normally solid in winter. its shape was a long zig-zag that looked much too uniform to appear naturally. but according to geophysicists, there was a logical explanation: finger rafting. 

“a surprising pattern, much like the meshed teeth of a zipper, is frequently seen when floating ice sheets collide,” commented yale geophysics professor john wettlaufer in an article for the yale news. in these rare circumstances, the edges of the ice can become enmeshed, as the edges push alternatively over and under each other, forming “fingers.” 

fifteen years ago, no one would have expected a crack of any size or shape to appear on the lake. “every winter you could guarantee a frost,” said ingunn Ósk Árnadóttir, a ranger at thingvellir national park, which occupies the northern boundary of lake thingvallavatn. “it was even used as transportation. people walked over between farms. it doesn’t happen anymore.” 

with warming temperatures, the ice covering the lake has thinned and narrowed, and the ice is not the only part of the lake in danger of inexorable change. beneath the surface of thingvallavatn, climate change is also taking its toll. for a lake with such a rich and fabled past, thingvallavatn’s future is of special significance for many.

***

thingvallavatn “is already quite famous,” Árnadóttir said. “this place is really loved among the nation.” 

merely walking on its banks gives one a sense of its majesty. at 84 square kilometers (nearly 21,000 acres), it is the largest natural lake in iceland. it is exceptionally cold compared to other icelandic lakes. the temperature in its fissures hovers around 2 degrees celsius (about 35 degrees fahrenheit), while at the end of the summer the surface hovers between 10 and 14 degrees celsius (50 to 57 degrees fahrenheit). 

young, porous igneous rock comprises the lake’s catchment area, where the water drains into the lake. this makes the incoming water exceptionally fertile and the lake’s species exceptionally diverse. in fact, the lake’s unique geological history has made it host to a number of species found nowhere else in the world. 

at the end of the last ice age, the lake became isolated from other bodies of water. over the next 10,000 years, the lake’s three fish species (brown trout, arctic charr, and the three-spine stickleback) evolved to fill unique niches in the lake’s many fissures and habitats. the arctic char, for example, evolved into four distinct varieties, each with its own ecological niche: a small benthivore (which eats prey that live on the bottom of the lake), a large benthivore, a planktivore (which eats varieties of plankton), and a piscivore (a species that eats other fish). these species, according to Árnadóttir, are found nowhere else in the world.

***

the northern boundary of thingvallavatn is found within thingvellir national park, an area that holds its own mystique. thingvellir’s cliffs, ravines, and waterfalls give the park an otherworldly beauty. it was even cast as a filming location for the television series “game of thrones.” but thingvellir also has a history perhaps more intriguing than fiction. thingvellir was the site of iceland’s annual parliament, or alping, from 930 a.d. to 1798 a.d. at the alping, chieftains would gather from all over iceland to exchange news and write law. leaders would come from the farthest reaches of iceland, sometimes traveling for weeks through valleys and over glacial tongues, to reach thingvellir. 

it wasn’t just political leaders that would gather at the alping. thingvellir was, and still is, considered iceland’s cultural center. during the two weeks of the assembly, a vibrant, market would appear, complete with thousands of merchants, sword-sharpeners, entertainers, and ale-makers. “thingvellir was a meeting place for everyone in iceland, laying the foundation for the language and literature that have been a prominent part of people’s lives right up to the present day,” it says on thingvellir’s website. 

indeed, thingvellir remained a meeting-place long after the alping ended. national celebrations are still held on the grounds, such as the presentation of iceland’s first constitution in 1874, the millennium of the alping in 1930, and the millennium of iceland’s christianity in 2000. therefore, it may come as no surprise that a location of such gravity to icelanders also became the area’s first national park. 

“few icelanders visit thingvellir for the first time without admiring the beauty of the landscape and being reminded of some of the major events that are interwoven into the history of this important place,” wrote university professor guðmundur davíðsson in 1913 as part of a thingvellir’s national park campaign. “these two factors, the historical factors and natural beauty, must stir the feelings of anyone standing in this sacred and legendary place.” 

lake thingvallavatn was integral to thingvellir’s identity as iceland’s gathering site. the location of the alping was chosen for its accessibility and its abundance of freshwater provided by lake thingvallavatn and its tributaries. the assembly gathered on the banks of the Öxará river, a tributary of thingvallavatn. ruins from old assembly sites show how the locations of parliament bent with the will of the river, as a flood or change of course would force the assembly to change location. drekkingarhylur, or the drowning pool, located in thingvallavatn’s tributary, was the retribution site for some women convicted of incest or other moral offenses. the waters of thingvallavatn, then, were privy to every aspect of life at the assembly, from historic gatherings of parliament, to drunken merriment at the market, and to the misery of punishment. indeed “Þingvallavatn,” (thingvallavatn in english), translates to “the lake of the fields of parliament.”

***

but the waters of thingvallavatn are rapidly changing. with increasing year-round temperatures, the amounts of algae and nutrients in the water has increased. this algae deteriorates the visibility of the crystal-clear water, and may have an adverse effect on the lake’s vulnerable ecosystem. 

“a disturbance that affected arctic char could eliminate several ecosystem processes,” a paper for ecology and society reports. “where one taxon (a group of biologically similar species, like arctic char) controls an ecosystem process, species change and ecosystem change go hand in hand.” precisely what makes the lake so unique, then, is also what makes it so fragile. 

the lake is also in danger due to the diminishment of its water source, the langjökull glacier. at the end of the last ice age, when the arctic char began to evolve, langjökull touched the edge of lake thingvallavatn. now, however, the tip of langjökull has retreated hundreds of miles from the banks of thingvallavatn. 

with the thingvallavatn’s source so far from its destination, the water must undertake a journey even longer and stranger than the chieftains of the alping. experts say it takes 20 to 30 years for the water to travel from the edge of the glacier to the lake. the water travels underground, reaching a depth of eight miles (deep enough to skim the surface of the molten mantle, before making its way into thingvallavatn). 

but langjökull may soon cease to send water to thingvallavatn. langjökull’s “ice brother,” okjökull, was the first of iceland’s glaciers to be lost to climate change in 2014. when it disappeared, it was renamed ok, as its suffix jokull, which means “glacier” in icelandic, was no longer relevant. langjökull, as iceland’s second-largest glacier, is considerably more voluminous than ok, but may not have a life much longer than its brother. 

glaciologists predict the glacier to disappear in 50 to 100 years. although the lake is also fed by rainfall, langjökull’s retreat may have significant consequences — not for the lake’s ecosystem, but for the body of water itself. as Árnadóttir said, “as [the glacier] retreats, it’s obvious that the lake itself will retreat as well.” 

in the meantime, iceland locals may continue to be baffled, as mysterious cracks continue to form over thin ice. 

“this latest capture is disturbing,” said mark fritts, a u.s. fish and wildlife services ecologist based in lacrosse, wisconsin. “we’ve never seen that many fish caught at the same time in this region.”

in the upper mississippi and illinois rivers, asian carp reproduce rapidly, have no natural competitors and out-compete native fish for food supply and space, which devastates native fish populations – in some streams, they make up 75% of fish biomass. asian carp, which can weigh between 60 and 110 pounds, are also notorious for jumping up to three meters out of the water when spooked by boat motors or loud sounds – creating a public safety risk and threatening a $7-billion sport-fishing market.

despite prevention measures, like government-contracted asian carp fisherman and dam barriers, asian carp have been slowly spreading upstream to the upper mississippi river and the great lakes. prior to this, fritts believed that most of the population in the upper mississippi river was confined below the quad-city region in illinois and iowa. now, he’s not so sure.

james lamer, a large river ecologist with the illinois natural history survey, said heavy flooding in the mississippi river basin last spring may have caused the fish to spawn upstream.

or, it could’ve been sheer luck.

according to lamer’s research, asian carp play favorites. from 2013 to 2016, lamer and his team in illinois tagged and tracked asian carp migration through the illinois and mississippi rivers’ channels in search for some sort of pattern. they found that carp species and hybrids are more or less mobile based on different water temperatures, flow and volume, which makes their spread a little bit more predictable.

“the water temperatures are still really low, and that’s when they can aggregate,” lamer said. “lacrosse might have got lucky and just got a lot of fish in that one haul just because the carp tend to congregate during those cold-water temperatures in certain areas.”

from his research, lamer knows that april weather brings favorable conditions to asian carp in illinois’ contained backchannels, which is a crucial time for government-contracted fishermen and researchers to extract invasive carp from the streams.

but due to the spread of coronavirus throughout the united states, lamer said they might not be able to get out on the water and curb their spread.

“the only thing that we can do in the meantime is analyze data and try to figure out what we have going on with the data we have,” he said.

but lamer isn’t too concerned – his research gives some hope to midwestern waterways. asian carp are finicky about their environment. their preference for deep waters could keep them out of uninfected areas if the water levels continue at their current low levels, like they have been for the last couple of weeks.

“long story short, i think any damage of not fishing for the one to two months off the water due to coronavirus can be mitigated when fishermen return to the water,” he said.

even if water conditions are perfect, history shows the mississippi’s unpredictable environment can be a natural barrier to carp mobility. for example, lamer’s tagged carp had an abundant year in 2016, but had barely any sign of reproduction the next two years. lamer and his team think it’s because changing water flow pushed unhatched carp eggs out of the upper mississippi’s uninfected waters.

lamer is keeping a positive attitude, but the “ifs” are adding up. in the worst-case scenario, asian carp spread to uninfected waters and decimate native fish populations and the fishing economy.

the midwestern waterways’ fate is up to mother nature.

“asian carp have very variable recruitment and reproduction, and so if we had the water conditions are stable for them like they were in 2016, then it could be problematic if we’re not out there removing fish,” lamer said. “if conditions aren’t conducive to spawning or movement and all of the gates stay in the water because we don’t get major flooding, it may not be as problematic.”

“it’s kind of a gamble – we’re hoping for the latter,” he added.

fritts is less concerned, too. last year mississippi’s flooding set back his team’s research, and he said every year has its own challenges.

“my rocket is set on launch as soon as they give me permission to get back out there. but we’ll just do what we can. these forces are bigger than us and we’ll just do our best,” he said.

this episode introduces a short series of interviews about the flooding issue in the basin.

brigitte has been trying to implement changes with her local neighborhood association in order to keep algae levels in check to no avail. no one was listening.

hopefully this video sheds some light on the issue of algae blooms and on one natural solution: brigitte’s small but mighty friends, water fleas (daphnia). 

sources:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/10/algae-bloom-lake-erie-toxins-spd/

https://www.cdc.gov/habs/illness-symptoms-freshwater.html

https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms

https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/control-and-treatment

https://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/plants/factsheets/copperfactsheet.pdf

“lady daphnia’s world.” for love of lakes, by darby nelson, michigan state university press, 2012, pp. 72–80. 

washington – global warming will fuel the overgrowth of harmful algal blooms in lakes and reservoirs, affecting the northeast and southeast most significantly, according to a new study.

using a detailed modeling framework, steven chapra, a tufts university environmental engineering professor and the lead author of the study, said he and his team predicted that the northeast would sustain the greatest increase in harmful algal blooms and recreational regions in the southeast would suffer the biggest economic consequences. the study was published in the august issue of environmental science & technology.

warm waters and increased nutrients allow cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms, which occur in freshwater bodies and estuaries, to thrive.

when temperatures increase, precipitation patterns change and storms become more extreme, chapra explained. increased precipitation leads to more erosion and more nutrients in freshwater bodies, particularly in rural regions, he said.

according to the environmental protection agency, exposure to harmful algal blooms can cause health problems ranging from vomiting to pneumonia. in 2014, residents of toledo, ohio were banned from using tap water as a result of toxins produced by harmful algal blooms.

“the most dangerous impact of these cyanobacteria is when they become toxic and pose significant health risks to both drinking water supplies and recreational use of the water,” said don scavia, professor of civil and environmental engineering, at the university of michigan.

since the freshwater systems in the northeast region have historically been cooler, climate change will cause the region to have the greatest increase in harmful algal blooms.

but in the southeast, more people rely on freshwater systems for commercial and recreational purposes, including fishing, hunting and swimming, chapra said. the study estimates that between $57 and $110 million may be lost annually in the southeast by 2090 due to the loss of recreation days alone.

“some of the biggest cyanohab impacts will occur in more rural regions, such as those in the southeast and midwest – areas that don’t often come up in conversation about unavoidable effects of climate change,” he said in a news release.

homeowners with property on water are likely to see decreases in the value of their homes if the waters are crowded with “unsightly” blooms, chapra said. and because fish can’t eat the blooms, they end up on the shoreline, affecting air quality because of their sulfuric smell.

in studying the economic impact of the blooms, he and his team only looked at the number of recreation days lost due to harmful algal blooms. although drinking water impacts were excluded from the study, the authors noted that those are likely to be important, particularly for regions without advanced water treatment systems.

tim davis, associate professor of biological sciences at bowling green state university, said that although the study focuses on the u.s., harmful algal blooms have the potential to damage water supply all around the globe. he cited a 2007 crisis in wuxi, china, when millions of residents were unable to access clean water for a week.

“the potential impacts become much greater because these blooms are occurring in more places, and becoming more severe, which just increases the chance of humans or animal health being impacted,” davis said. “it’s going to negatively impact the economy, people’s health, people’s lives, and it’s going to continue to grow as a problem.”