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# News Quiz: Algae in Iowa Lakes
- URL: https://www.investigatemidwest.org/news-quiz-algae-in-iowa-lakes/
- Published: 2015-08-21T12:00:02.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-11T02:40:48.000Z
- Description: This year, Iowa’s state-owned beaches set records for the number of health advisories issued for high microcystin levels. Microcystin is a liver toxin that can form from cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae. Test your knowledge of algae and microcystin in Iowa lakes.
- Author: IowaWatch
- Tags: iowawatch, News Quizzes, blue green algae, cyanobacteria, Iowa lakes, Microcystin, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-06-18 04:56

> **READ MORE** — This news quiz is based on a previous IowaWatch story: [“Severity of Algae In Iowa Lakes Is On The Rise”](https://investigatemidwest.org/severity-of-algae-in-iowa-lakes-is-on-the-rise/?ref=investigatemidwest.org)

This year, Iowa’s state-owned beaches set records for the number of health advisories issued for high microcystin levels. Microcystin is a liver toxin that can form from cyanobacteria, commonly called blue-green algae.

The algae can form large blooms during the summer months, filling lakes with green or blue sludge. Only some strains of cyanobacteria produce the toxin and scientist say it is hard to predict when the toxin will be produced.

\[quiz key=”1TLYzkYst2bgB6BG1y3gsNRe1H6hKQcHRQnVe9L00y1Q” answerstyle=”bullets” source=”U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, World Health Organization, Interviews with Mary Skopec of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa State Toxicologist Stuart Schmitz and Steve Ensley, a clinician with the Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine.” byline=”Quiz By: Lauren Mills/IowaWatch” \]