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Rising temperatures and pollution have led to an explosive growth of harmful algal blooms, contaminating our drinking water and harming human health.
A harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurs when toxin-producing algae grow excessively in a body of water. The excessive algal growth, or algal bloom, becomes visible to the naked eye and can be green, blue-green, red, or brown, depending on the type of algae.
Jan 10, 2019 · The phenomena of “algae blooms”, when the population of algae in a river rapidly grows and dies, can be devastating to local wildlife, ecosystems and people. But what are algae blooms? What...
- Michele Burford
- Blue-Green Algae
- Red Tide
- Golden Algae
- Brown Tides
- Macroalgae Blooms
- The Future of Algal Blooms
What is it?
In freshwater lakes and rivers, harmful algal blooms often consist of cyanobacteria, which can produce toxins that pose a health risk to humans and wildlife.
Where is it?
Bodies of freshwater in all 50 states.
What’s the harm?
Cyanobacteria’s impact is far-ranging. They are primarily a public health concern, as they can produce hazardous toxins—notably the neurotoxin microcystin, which destroys mammalian nerve tissue. In 2014, a harmful blue-green algae on Lake Erie, near Toledo, Ohio led to microcystin levels in high enough concentration that officials advised half a million residents not to drink tap water for three days. In 2018, officials in Iowa found microcystin in the raw water supplies of 15 out of 26 publi...
What is it?
There are several species of microscopic algae that fall under the umbrella term of “red tide.” Most often, the term “red tide” refers to Karenia brevis, an algal species which has bloomed and caused issues since 1971, when it cost an estimated $116 million in beach cleanup costs and losses to the tourism and fishing industries in the Gulf of Mexico.
Where is it?
The Gulf of Mexico, along the Atlantic coast from Canada to southern New England, and along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California.
What’s the harm?
Red tides also pose a danger to humans and marine life. In people, red tide can cause respiratory illness and irritate the eyes. It can be lethal for marine life. Red tides made up of diatoms, a common group of algae, like Pseudonitzschia can produce the neurotoxin domoic acid, which can cause seizures in birds and some other vertebrates. Domoic acid can also accumulate in shellfish, sardines and anchovies and can cause serious injury or death in sea lions, otters, birds, and humans that eat...
What is it?
Golden alga (Prymnesium parvum) is a single-celled organism that lives in water. It occurs worldwide, primarily in coastal waters, but it’s also found in rivers and lakes.
Where is it?
Across 23 states, from Washington state down to the Gulf Coast and along the Eastern Seaboard up to Maine.
What’s the harm?
The toxins produced by blooms of golden algae affect organisms with gills—so while humans can breathe easy, it is a potential danger to fish, mussels, clams, and some juvenile amphibians, accordingto Texas Parks and Wildlife. Cattle, predators, scavengers, and birds have been observed drinking water during a bloom—and some people have eaten dead fish from associated fish kills—with no apparent effects. Still, it can take years for a water body to recover from a major fish kill caused by a tox...
What is it?
Brown tides are caused by one of two algae species—Aureococcus anophagefferens and Aureoumbra lagunensis—give rise to brown tides. Each species, when they accumulate in high enough densities, turn water dark brown.
Where is it?
Long Island and the Gulf of Mexico(Cuba, Florida, and Texas).
What’s the harm?
While brown tides don’t produce harmful toxins, they do cause ecological harmby blocking sunlight and killing seagrass (along with the juvenile shellfish that live there).
What is it?
Unlike microscopic algae that only become visible to the eye when amassed like a giant carpet, macroalgaeare much larger and more like seaweed. They’re also a natural feature of freshwater and marine bodies.
Where is it?
Coastlines along the U.S.
What’s the harm?
Again, most differ from toxic phytoplankton blooms because they are not chemically dangerous (an exception: exposure to Lynbya majesculacanlead to skin rashes among other health issues for humans or animals). Mostly, though, their impact is ecological. Blooms of red, brown, and green macroalgae outcompeteseagrasses and coral reef habitats and reduce the amount of light available to the bottom of bodies of water. Earlier this summer, new satellite data revealed that expanse of “great Atlantic...
Human-caused climate change will shape harmful algal blooms of the future—possibly by increasing their prevalence and expanding their spread. But scientists can’t say for sure exactly how extreme weather events, warming waters, ocean acidification, and eutrophication will change the phytoplankton communities of our marine and fresh waters. “Scienti...
Mar 20, 2015 · What Makes the Sun So Harmful? Two words: ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This type of energy is so harmful to our heath that the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the World...
Feb 12, 2015 · In a few billion years, the sun will become a red giant so large that it will engulf our planet. But the Earth will become uninhabitable much sooner than that.
People also ask
What are harmful algae blooms?
How do you know if an algae bloom is harmful?
Are algal blooms harmful?
Why do cyanobacteria bloom?
Why do algae bloom all the time?
Are algal blooms a warning sign of a changing climate?
Aug 28, 2019 · Depending on the type of algae or bacteria that cause it, an algal bloom may produce bad-smelling scum, foam, froth, or a paintlike slick. Algal blooms can be many colors, including blue-green,...
