Depends on how hard the wind blows.

• Position: Algal Blooms - Lake Erie, Ohio

Of the many weather-related factors that contribute to harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Lake Erie, a study by Ohio State University, Columbus, and the University of Florida, Gainesville, has identified one as most important: the wind. Over a 10-year period in Lake Erie, wind speed contributed more consistently to HABs than sunshine or even precipitation. The ongoing study is unusual in that researchers are building the first detailed analyses of how the various environmental factors influence each other--in the context of satellite studies of Lake Erie.

The finding "underscores the need for environmental agencies to incorporate the threat of extreme weather events caused by climate change into future algae mitigation strategies," asserts C.K. Shum, OSU professor of geodetic science.

Where other studies have linked weather phenomena to HABs, this study goes a step further to look at how environmental drivers impact each other, and "ranks" them by their relative importance in promoting HABs, says Song Liang, associate professor of environmental and global health at the University of Florida. "What surprised us the most was how the impact of nonweather factors, such as nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, varied strongly by season, while weather factors remained consistently...