Gregory Dick, U-M environmental microbiologist and study co-author, discusses a new modeling study, finding that reducing levels of nutrient phosphorus leads to an increase in toxins in the water. Dick explains that while lowering the nutrient phosphorous levels can control harmful algal blooms in locations like Lake Erie, the reduction is advantageous to toxic cyanobacteria strains, further depleting lakes of oxygen when they die and leaving behind nitrogen. Dick further highlights findings from the research study and policy implications.
