I was stunned at how the lake had changed in the 10 years since I had...

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Biology

I was stunned at howthe lake had changed in the 10 years since I had last at Grand LakeSt.. No swimmers splashed in the water and hardly any boats floatedacross the lake, even though it was peak vacation season. As a lonespeedboat zoomed past, Keith noticed its motor churning up limegreen-colored water. A closer inspection revealed a foamy, greenmat of scum clinging to the shore, with a few dead fish washedup.

Why is the water sogreen? What are cyanobacteria? What might cause a tremendousincrease in their growth? Why would toxin secretion limit fishconsumption? How would cyanobacterial photosynthesis affect theoxygen levels of the lake? Aidan indicated that aerobiccyanobacteria are using up oxygen in the water. How are they doingthis? Identify the microbial imbalance in Grand Lake that has ledto the oxygen depletion.

Please explain

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What are cyanobacteria Cyanobacteria also known as Cyanophyta are a phylum consisting of freeliving bacteria and the endosymbiotic plastids a sister group to Gloeomargarita that are present in some eukaryotes They commonly obtain their energy through oxygenic photosynthesis The oxygen gas in the atmosphere of earth is produced by cyanobacteria of this phylum either as freeliving bacteria or as the endosymbiotic plastids The name cyanobacteria comes from the color of the bacteria Cyanobacteria which are prokaryotes are also called bluegreen algae though some modern botanists restrict the term algae to eukaryotes Cyanobacteria appear to have originated in freshwater or a terrestrial environment Cyanobacteria are a group of photosynthetic bacteria some of which are nitrogenfixing that live in a wide variety of moist soils and water either freely or in a symbiotic relationship with plants or lichenforming fungi as in the lichen genus Peltigera They range from unicellular to filamentous and include colonial species Colonies may form filaments sheets or even hollow spheres Some filamentous species can differentiate into several different cell types vegetative cells the normal photosynthetic cells that are formed under favorable growing conditions akinetes climateresistant spores that may form when environmental conditions become harsh and thickwalled heterocysts which contain the enzyme nitrogenase vital for nitrogen fixation in an anaerobic environment due to its sensitivity to oxygen Why is the water so green Blooms of Cyanobacteria also known as bluegreen algae are affecting inland and coastal communities around the world Cyanobacteria are aquatic bacteria and are some of the oldest living organelles on Earth Because these waterdwelling bacteria photosynthesize they are also referred to as bluegreen algae Cyanobacteria can be found in many different environments including freshwater and marine ecosystems Despite being named bluegreen algae blooms may appear in many different colors including red yellow brown blue and green and often form a scum on the waters surface The relative abundance of phycobilin pigments the reddish phycoerythrin and the blue phycocyanin explain the color of cyanobacteria Microscopically the blue phycocyanin pigment the green chlorophyll and the accessory pigments give rise to bluegreen algae Species of cyanobacteria differ in    See Answer
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