Lonar Lake, also known as Lonar crater, is a notified National Geo-heritage Monument, saline, soda lake, located at Lonar in Buldhana district, Maharashtra, India. Lonar Lake was created by an asteroid collision with earth impact during the Pleistocene Epoch. It is one of the four known, hyper-velocity, impact craters in basaltic rock anywhere on Earth. The other three basaltic impact structures are in southern Brazil.
Recently this lake is been in highlights after it turned color to pink also this lake is saline lake and inward of maharahstra is very strange and unprecedented growth the experts claim to be microorganisms growth during recent times so here are our predictions of what could be the reason and howcome those reason are seen :
RED ALGAE ( THALLUS ) :
Coralline algae are usually pink or red but they can be other colors as well, including gray, green, blue, yellow, and purple. This alga takes two main morphological forms. These forms are called branching (geniculate or articulated) and encrusting (non-geniculate or non-articulated). The branching form protrudes from the substrate on which the alga is situated whereas the encrusting form grows along the surface of the substrate. Although these forms are morphologically distinct, this is not altogether an effective way of describing the functions and characteristics of algae; this categorization is useful largely for recognition purposes. Chances of this is very low as it is much of a seaweed then microorganism
red algae usually known as thallus which can be red or pink depending on how much saline the water is judging by the saline nature of this lake i can say it is getting very abundant supply of potassium and calcium and birds activity have increased in this area as breeding season is approaching their feet usually carry a lot miroorganisms and spores for new plants and looking at their migration route probably from madditerean sea which is full of coral and pink , green , blue , blue green algae they are primary carrier .... anyway this type of algae is not full algae and more of plants but very useful for water corals ... it's a kind of blessing the lake received from birds it is a clear sign that birds are coming back in big numbers that is good sign due to lack of human interference .
Coralline algae is crucial for the construction of reefs, so reefs are found exclusively in shallow depths of water.
Non-geniculate algae must live on an area that provides them with support. They are most commonly found on submerged ocean bedrock, but they can also live on other types of substrate, such as an animal shells or on top of other algae. Geniculate algae also commonly live on substrates, but unlike non-geniculate algae they have the ability to be partially unattached. As long as they are anchored so some part of the substrate, the rest of the algae can be independent.
Algae can tolerate varying levels of water salinity. They do not live in freshwater; only in salinated water. Coralline algae can also be found in aquariums, as they are popular accessories for decorative and functional tanks.
Dunaliella salina: ( Pink algae ) alga that’s always pretty in pink
Lake hiller , Australia
Dunaliella salina is a microalga in the green algae family. But don’t let its pedigree fool you--this little alga is bright pink! So pink, in fact, that it makes this salt lake in western Australia look like it’s made of unicorn dreams
Dunaliella salina is a type of halophile green micro-algae especially found in sea salt fields. Known for its antioxidant activity because of its ability to create large amount of carotenoids, it is used in cosmetics and dietary supplements. Few organisms can survive like D. salina does in such highly saline conditions as salt evaporation ponds. To survive, these organisms have high concentrations of β-carotene to protect against the intense light, and high concentrations of glycerol to provide protection against osmotic pressure. This offers an opportunity for commercial biological production of these substances.
'Chameleon' ocean bacteria can shift their colors :
Cyanobacteria -- which propel the ocean engine and help sustain marine life -- can shift their colour like chameleons to match different colored light across the world's seas, according to research by an international collaboration including the University of Warwick.
The researchers have shown that Synechococcus cyanobacteria -- which use light to capture carbon dioxide from the air and produce energy for the marine food chain -- contain specific genes which alters their pigmentation depending on the type of light in which they float, allowing them to adapt and thrive in any part of the world's oceans. "Blue light is most prevalent in the open oceans, as it penetrates into deep waters -- whereas in warm equatorial and coastal waters there is more green light, and in estuaries the light is often red," explains David Scanlan, who is Professor in Marine Microbiology in the University of Warwick's School of Life Sciences. These specific 'chromatic adaptor' genes are abundant in ocean dwelling Synechococcus -- enabling these colour-shifting microorganisms to change their pigment content in order to survive and photosynthesise in ocean waters, especially when the light quality changes from blue to green.
bioluminescent dinoflagellates :
In coastal regions, the primary source of flow-agitated bioluminescence is dinoflagellates. These single-celled organisms are common members of the plankton—tiny marine plants, animals or bacteria that float on or near the ocean’s surface. Bioluminescent dinoflagellates range in size from about 30 µm to 1 mm, and are found in all the world’s oceans. Occasionally they are found in high concentrations, resulting in red tides, so called because the high abundance of organisms discolors the water. If the dinoflagellates are luminescent, there can be spectacular displays of bioluminescence at night. For example, in October 2011 there was an intense red tide of the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum in San Diego .
Laboratory experiments have provided insight into the role that dinoflagellate bioluminescence plays in marine ecology. Dinoflagellate flashes cause a startle response in their predators, disrupting their feeding behavior and resulting in a decrease in grazing rate by reducing the number of dinoflagellates consumed. Dinoflagellate bioluminescence is also thought to act as a “burglar alarm” to attract a secondary predator that threatens to eat the primary predator. When handled by a predator, the dinoflagellate cell is triggered to flash by the imparted mechanical stress. But any mechanical stress of sufficient magnitude, such as the forces in waves, surge, or by swimming animals (including us) can also trigger the luminescence.
SO WHAT IS THE ROLE OF BIRDS IN CARRYING MICROORGANISMS :
Birds are carrier of many microorganisms mostly harmful including many bacterias and viruses and fungus and also know to spread ' bird flu ' but sometimes they do carry algae from sea to inward which in this cases is also seen , bird watchers also reported increase in bird migration to India due to lockdown and less human activities , probably any bird flock brought in any of microorganisms above mentioned .