algae blooms
Lake surface scum
Algae blooms are rapid, excessive growths of algae in water, turning lakes, ponds, or coastal areas green, red, or brown.
They occur when nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus—often from agricultural runoff or sewage—combine with warm temperatures and sunlight.
Some blooms produce toxins harmful to fish, wildlife, and humans: The beach closed due to a toxic algae bloom.
Also called algal blooms.
- cyanobacteriaPhotosynthetic bacteria producing oxygen
- eutrophicationExcess nutrients depleting oxygen
- aquatic plantsVegetation growing in water
- oxygen depletionRemoval of breathable gas
- fish killsMass aquatic animal deaths
red tide · bioremediation · dead zones · hypoxia · remote sensing · agricultural runoff · microalgae · sedimentation · diatoms · coastal pollution · invasive species · fish species · pond · watershed · oxygen · runoff · warm · habitat restoration
- Aquatic Pestszebra mussel, Asian carp, silver carp, lionfish, snakehead
- water ecologyaquatic habitats, freshwater ecosystems, aquatic plants, hydrophytes, dissolved oxygen
- environmental harmair pollution, water pollution, pollution, oil spills, acid rain
- Environmental problemsair pollution, water pollution, climate change, global warming, habitat loss
- marine ecosystemsphytoplankton, oceans, zooplankton, marine life, krill
- Eco-crisesclimate change, global warming, oil spill, deforestation, biodiversity loss