What is an algal bloom?
An algal bloom is a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system.
The phenomenon can occur in freshwater as well as marine environments and can cause discolouration of the water, turning it yellow, red or bright green.
Some algal blooms result from an excess of nutrients which cause growth in algae and other green plants.
As more algae grows, other plants die and become food for bacteria.
With more food available, the bacteria increase and use up the dissolved oxygen in the water.
Algal blooms can cause water discolouration, turning lakes and other bodies of water red, yellow or green
When oxygen content decreases, many fish and aquatic insects cannot survive, resulting in a dead area.
Some types of algae also produce neurotoxins.
At the high cell concentrations reached during some blooms, these toxins may have severe biological impacts on wildlife.
Algal blooms composed of phytoplankters known to naturally produce biotoxins are often called Harmful Algal Blooms, or HABs.
Source: ScienceDaily
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