MARKIE: THE DANGEROUS, AND SOMETIMES DEADLY, EFFECTS OF BLUE-GREEN ALGAE HAVE BEEN FRONT AND CENTER LATELY. IT’S EVEN CLOSED DOWN SOME DOG PARKS IN THE METRO, TO KEEP YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR PETS SAFE. JOINING US TO SHED MORE LIGHT ON THE ALGAE IS OU PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY DR. DAVE HAMBRIGHT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STOPPING IN STUDIO. WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. SO ANY VIEWERS CURIOUS ABOUT THIS SEGMENT. WHAT ABOUT IT MAKES IT SO DANGEROUS? >> WE TEND TO CALL THEM BLUE-GREEN ALGAE. UNLIKE MOST TYPICAL ALGAE, THEY DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. THEREIN LIES A PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE TOXINS. >> ARE THOSE EXTREMELY SEVERE CASES? >> IT’S A COMBINATION. BASICALLY WORKING ON THE LIVER AND KIDNEYS. THERE ARE NEUROTOXINS THAT INTERFERE WITH NERVE ACTIVITY. THE PROBLEM IN GENERAL, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DRINK ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER. THE ASSUMPTION IN MOST CASES IS WHAT IS GOING ON IS THE ALGAE -- THEY ARE GROOMING THEMSELVES, LICKING THEMSELVES CLEAN. WE THINK THAT IS THE PRIMARY. >> WHAT HAPPENS? HOW LONG DOES DEATH OCCUR? >> DIARRHEA, VOMITING, SOME OF THE NEUROTOXINS MAY CAUSE MUSCLE ATROPHY. IT TAKES A BIG DOSE. NEUROTOXINS ARE QUITE INTENSE. PROLONG SUFFERING TO SIX HOURS. THERE ARE MILD INTOXICATIONS, SOME DOGS RECOVER. >> IT’S NOT EVEN THE DOGS. >> WE DON’T HAVE THE CHANCE. IT CAUSES PROBLEMS, EYES AND EARS AND NOSE. THEY HAVE FLULIKE SYMPTOMS SOMETIMES. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF BOYS SWIMMING IN A GOLF CLUB. WE GET SICK. >> WHAT MAJOR FACTORS ATTRIBUTED THIS INCREASING TEMPERATURE CHANGES? OR ARE THE LAKES JUST VULNERABLE ? >> ALL OF THE LAKES ARE MAINLY RESERVOIRS. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO COLLECT A LOT OF WATER. BECAUSE OF THAT HIGH NUTRIENT LOADING - THEY ONLY REALLY LIKE WARM WATERS. THEY CAN FLOAT TO THE SURFACE AND NOT SUFFER FROM RADIATION AS MUCH AS OTHER ALGAE. WE HAVE BLOOMS BECAUSE OF NUTRIENTS.