Posts Tagged
‘algal bloom’

Phytoplankton is an essential constituent of the marine food chain and comprises 40% of the total fixed global primary productivity. Out of 5,000 species of marine phytoplankton in the world, 7% are responsible for algal blooms, including diatoms, dinoflagellates, raphidophytes, prymnesiophytes and silicoflagellates. Out of 7% algal bloom, 2% of phytoplankton species are toxic, and dinoflagellates contribute 75%. The occurrence of blooms is spontaneous; their growth and persistence are a combination of physical, chemical and biological factors interacting in unpredictable ways.

Have you ever seen blood-red water or heard about red tide near the coastal areas? What about the green stuff that covers lakes and rivers? It happens when algae, a microscopic living organism, grows rapidly and dominates the aquatic ecosystem. This environmental phenomenon is known as algal bloom.