This year has seen growing public concern over the state of England’s largest lake, Windermere. Campaigners, local residents and visitors have reported extensive blooms of blue-green algae at the site, with concern for its impact on health and ecology.
Somewhat misleadingly, blue-green algae are not actually algae. They are a type of bacteria, called cyanobacteria, which use sunlight to obtain energy and grow. There are many species of cyanobacteria. These can grow as single cells, too small to be seen with the naked eye, or in large clusters.
