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Encyclopedia of Estuaries pp 7–16Cite as

Algal Blooms

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Synonyms

Harmful algal blooms; Nuisance algal blooms; Phytoplankton blooms; Red tides; Spring blooms

Definition

Algal blooms refer to the increase in biomass of algae due to increased growth or due to physical aggregation, leading to an above-normal accumulation and generally adverse ecosystem effects.

Introduction

Algae are a normal part of the aquatic ecosystem; they form the base of the aquatic food web. Of this large and diverse group of organisms, most are microscopic in size, but some are macroscopic. The microscopic algae are most often single cells, but some can form chains or colonies. Most microalgae live in the water column, while others live in or near to the sediment or attached to surfaces for some or all of their life cycle. Macroalgae can be multicellular and complex, the largest of which are the seaweeds.

Algal blooms are an important and natural component of the production of all aquatic systems, but especially those of temperate, subpolar, and coastal waters. Spring...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 775, Cambridge, MD, 21613, USA

    Patricia M. Glibert

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  1. Patricia M. Glibert
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Correspondence to Patricia M. Glibert .

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  1. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    Michael J. Kennish

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Glibert, P.M. (2016). Algal Blooms. In: Kennish, M.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Estuaries. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_14

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