Glyphosate Herbicide Roundup Triggers Loss of Biodiversity

Thu, 17 Feb 2022 04:07:09 +0000

The glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup has been found to trigger the loss of biodiversity among phytoplankton communities in freshwater ponds. In their experiments, scientists found that while some populations developed resistance to the herbicide and were able to survive exposure at high levels, this came at a cost, with a 40 percent loss in biodiversity.

The team say their findings are concerning, as it could mean these food web staples are more vulnerable as environmental conditions become more extreme under a changing climate.

Zebra Mussels Can Increase Microcystis Harmful Algal Blooms

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 15:16:14 +0000

While invasive zebra mussels consume small plant-like organisms called phytoplankton, Michigan State University researchers discovered during a long-term study that zebra mussels can actually increase Microcystis, a type of phytoplankton known as “blue-green algae” or cyanobacteria, that forms harmful floating blooms.

Zebra mussels can filter out the Microcystis with other particles, but then they spit out the Microcystis because evidently it is unpalatable to them. The researchers suspected the zebra mussels were consuming competitors of Microcystis, which paved the way for the cyanobacteria to flourish under lower nutrient availability than it usually needs.

phytoplankton – Aquarius-Systems

Glyphosate Herbicide Roundup Triggers Loss of Biodiversity

Zebra Mussels Can Increase Microcystis Harmful Algal Blooms