 rock snot (photo by Thorney- Creative Commons) |
from Bridge Mi
In the summer of 2015, "rock snot" was found in the Upper Manistee River, which should have been cold and clear trout waters. "Rock snot" is the nickname given to Didymosphenia geminata and also shortened to didymo. It is a diatom that coats rocks and branches with an unpleasant-looking slime. After the 2015 discovery, it bloomed again in 2021.
It has not yet been determined if the organism is native or invasive in Michigan. No one even knows what causes the blooms.
Didymo can temporarily ruin fishing habitat and make recreation unpleasant. Jo Latimore, aquatic ecologist, outreach specialist and director for Michigan State University’s Extension Center for Lakes and Streams, says “We’re worried about it because, even if it was here all along, it sure is acting differently than it was before. Even if it is a native species, it may be an indicator that something is out of whack in these waterways.”
Cells have been found on the Manistee and Jordan Rivers in west Michigan, and also on the Au Sable and St. Mary's Rivers. It reproduces asexually, so a single cell can start a colony.
It is not a hazard to human health, but is unsightly. The stalk can attach to rocks, plants, or other submerged surfaces. When it divides, eventually a mass of branching stalks forms. This slime is primarily polysaccharides and protein, forming complex, multi-layered structures that are resistant to degradation.
See Didymosphenia geminata at Wikipedia
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