Algal Blooms

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Algae

Algae are a group of plants that are usually found in water. Like all plants, algae have a pigment called chlorophyll that they use to turn sunlight into food. Algae can be found in all types of waters, including salt water, fresh water, and brackish water (a mix of salt and fresh water).

Algae that live in the water can be grouped into two categories, seaweed and phytoplankton. Seaweed are large plants made up of many cells and phytoplankton are small, single-celled plants.

Dead zones are areas of water bodies where aquatic life cannot survive because of low oxygen levels. Dead zones are generally caused by significant nutrient pollution, and are primarily a problem for bays, lakes and coastal waters since they receive excess nutrients from upstream sources.

Excess nitrogen and phosphorus cause an overgrowth of algae in a short period of time, also called algae blooms. The overgrowth of algae consumes oxygen and blocks sunlight from underwater plants. When the algae eventually dies, the oxygen in the water is consumed. The lack of oxygen makes it impossible for aquatic life to survive. The largest dead zone in the United States – about 6,500 square miles – is in the Gulf of Mexico and occurs every summer as a result of nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River Basin.

When some types of algae blooms are large and produce chemicals, or toxins, the event is called a harmful algal bloom. Harmful algal blooms can occur in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, ponds, bays and coastal waters, and the toxins they produce can be harmful to human health and aquatic life. Harmful algal blooms are mainly the result of a type of algae called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

Elevated nutrient levels and algal blooms can also cause problems in drinking water in communities nearby and upstream from dead zones. Harmful algal blooms release toxins that contaminate drinking water, causing illnesses for animals and humans.

Blooms of harmful algae and cyanobacteria

Both seaweed and phytoplankton sometimes grow quickly, or bloom. Some blooms can harm people, animals, or the environment. Most harmful blooms that make people and animals sick are caused by phytoplankton.

Blooms can harm people, animals, and the environment when they

  • Produce toxins (poisons)
  • Become too dense
  • Use up the oxygen in the water
  • Release harmful gases

These harmful blooms can be caused by many types of phytoplankton. However, three main types of phytoplankton cause most blooms that make people and animals sick:

  • Cyanobacteria (sometimes called blue-green algae)
  • Dinoflagellates (sometimes called microalgae or red tide)
  • Diatoms (sometimes called microalgae or red tide)

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