Nuisance polysaccharide production (lake snow) by Lindavia intermedia
Lindavia intermedia is an invasive diatom that has become the dominant alga in some of our oligotrophic lakes. Unfortunately, Lindavia can produce copious amounts of polysaccharide threads, which facilitate the formation of sticky nuisance macroaggregates, also known as lake snow or lake snot. Together with Phil Novis (Landcare Research) and other collaborators from NZ and overseas, we are developing methods of sampling, detection, and quantification of lake snow, we are studying the historical dynamics of Lindavia as inferred from lake sediment cores, and we are studying the ecological effects of Lindavia on lake food webs. Our lake snow research is funded by an MBIE Smart Ideas grant (on which Phil is the PI) and by the Otago Regional Council.