Recipe for a HAB

Written By Michale Glennon

A HAB is a Harmful Algal Bloom, a phenomenon that occurs when colonies of algae grow out of control, occasionally producing toxins that can kill fish, mammals, and birds and cause human illness.  HABs are a growing problem in waterways everywhere, including the Adirondacks. This is a half-pi shawl depicting the conditions favorable for the formation of harmful algal blooms which include sun, warm, calm water, and nutrients.  In this improvised shawl the sun is at the top and solid color rows depict warming water temperature. Next is a section of wavy stitches followed by plain garter stitch which depicts the transition to calm conditions. Beads represent nutrient inputs. At the bottom edge, the combination of these factors – sun + warm, calm conditions + nutrients – results in HABs represented by bright green roving.

More details available here on Ravelry.

Creator: Michale Glennon

Michale Glennon

Michale Glennon serves as the Senior Research Scientist of the Paul Smith's College Adirondack Watershed Institute. She is interested in the effects of land use management on wildlife populations in the Adirondacks and is engaged in research ranging from issues of residential development to recreation ecology to climate change. She is an ecologist and previously spent 15 years as the Director of Science for the Adirondack Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society. At AWI, Michale works to support and help shape the scientific research program, provide high quality research opportunities for students, and distribute and champion AWI's work in order to enhance the use of science in the management and stewardship of the natural resources of the Adirondack Park.

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