Harmful algal blooms

 

Algal Blooms are a naturally occurring phenomena in freshwater and marine environments, blooms can be an essential part of an ecosystem, providing food and oxygen for the environment. However, human intervention has allowed algal blooms to become an environmental hazard. In the last 30 years, Factors such as climate change, agricultural runoff, and sewage pollution, have led to the harmful algal blooms to increase in frequency and intensity, leading to the formation of “Dead Zones”.  Dead Zones are named as such due to their low oxygen content and have caused species of fish to die off and negatively impacting the food web by causing the small organisms such as plankton to die off as well. The ability of certain species of algae to produce toxins can also negatively affect humans who are exposed to the infected bodies of water, not to mention the risk it poses to pets and livestock. Despite the fact the impact of blooms is detrimental to most environments they occur in, little is being done in the way of remedying the issue.