Turns out, noses aren’t the only things that get snotty: Phlegm-like algae grosses out stream beds, too.
“Rock snot,” aka Didymosphenia geminate, is an algae that most anyone can identify, thanks to its snot-like appearance.
Although it’s not toxic, fast-growing rock snot can overgrow native algae that insects and fishes in the stream rely on for food. It can also smother the streambed, which in turn can affect the flow of water over fish eggs.
Stroud Water Research Center’s David Arscott, Ph.D., speaks about its effects on streams and how to prevent its spread.
Podcast content courtesy of CurrentCast.org. See the full post on their website.
