Didymo – Didymosphenia geminata

Didymosphenia geminata (Didymo, aka rock snot) is a nuisance diatom that is spread via anglers and recreators to new rivers. Once established, the algae can bloom in river bottoms, disrupting benthic habitat and altering the physical and chemical conditions for other stream inhabitants, including trout. Michigan TU is actively working to expand monitoring and early detection of this invasive species, and better understand the environmental drivers of bloom formation. If you’re interested in helping in this crusade, please contact TU Aquatic Ecologist Jordyn Stoll at jordyn.stoll@michigantu.org.