Bloomin’ blanket weed! Call for participation in algae and lake management questionnaire

My name is Hannah Kemp and I am a PhD researcher at the University of Nottingham working in partnership with the National Trust.

Hannah Kemp

Across the UK, many freshwater ecosystems are experiencing more frequent and widespread blooms of filamentous macroalgae, more commonly known as blanket weed. The formation of thick mats on lake and pond surfaces have the potential to cause major ecological damage as well as look unsightly and prevent leisure activities and conservation.

As part of my research, I have created a questionnaire to investigate the occurrence, impact and management of blanket weed algal blooms in UK freshwater bodies.

The questionnaire should be carried out by people who manage or work with UK freshwater lakes/ponds and have a good knowledge of the site. If you would be interested in taking part in this research or could help facilitate the distribution of the questionnaire in your organisation here is a link: https://nottingham.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/blanket-weed-questionnaire

By participating in this questionnaire, you will be helping put together a UK wide dataset about blanket weed algal blooms to better understand the scale of the problem. Your answers will also help inform research into how best to manage blanket weed blooms whilst maintaining good ecological status and lake amenity value. Answers about waterbodies that do NOT experience blanket weed blooms are just as important!

If you want to chat more or have any questions or ideas please email me on hannah.kemp@nottingham.ac.uk thank you!