Can you summarize the role of algal blooms in disrupting the equilibrium in an aquatic ecosystem?

Answer 1

An algal bloom or marine bloom or water bloom is a rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system. Algal blooms may occur in freshwater as well as marine environments. Typically only one or a few phytoplankton species are involved and some blooms may be recognized by discoloration of the water resulting from the high density of pigmented cells. Although there is no officially recognized threshold level, algae can be considered to be blooming at concentrations of hundreds to thousands of cells per milliliter, depending on the causative species. Algal bloom concentrations may reach millions of cells per milliliter. Colors observed are green, yellowish-brown, or red. Bright green blooms may also occur. These are a result of blue-green algae, which are actually bacteria (cyanobacteria).

Some algal blooms are the result of an excess of nutrients (particularly phosphorus and nitrogen) into waters and higher concentrations of these nutrients in water cause increased growth of algae and green plants. As more algae and plants grow, others die. This dead organic matter becomes food for bacteria that decompose it. With more food available, the bacteria increase in number and use up the dissolved oxygen in the water. When the dissolved oxygen content decreases, many fish and aquatic insects cannot survive. This results in a dead area.

Answer 2

Algal bloom is nothing but the excessive growth of algae on the surface of water it affects the life of the underwater organism as it takes up the oxygen content from the water body and as a result the underwater species die due to the lack of oxygen.

Answer 3

The algal blooms cause algae to grow very fast which promotes bacteria growth. The bacteria then use up all the nutrients/resources (like oxygen) needed for organisms to live. Eventually the organisms will all die.

Answer 4

When an algae bloom occurs it is sometimes caused by an increase in the amount of phosphorous and nitrogen run off from nearby farmland, or pollution such as from sewage or industrial. This is caled eutrophication. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication

This nutrient is normally only available in very small amounts, and so the lack of it limits the amount of algae that may grow.... algae needs sunlight and nutrients, since it gets lots of sunlight at the top of the lake once you add a bunch of nutrients.... booom you get an algae bloom.

Now algae does not live very long, and so the top layer dies and sinks to the bottom and the next layer forms on the top of the lake.

First of all the algae layer on the top of the lake is cutting off the light from the plants bellow it.

Second, the death of the algae induced decomposition. Decomposition involves the removal of oxygen from the water.

The lack of oxygen is very bad for all living creates within the lake that require oxygen, such as fish.

If the nutrients suppling the lake are stopped... and the algae dies back, you are left with a clear lake, with no life in it.

Some algae are also known to create toxin as a byproduct which are determintal to orgainsms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algal_bloom

Reference : Ecology 101

Answer 5

Algal blooms, if they become very large, can deplete the oxygen in the water causing the organisms in the water to die. Also, some algaes, especially red ones, are poisonous. So even if the bloom is not large, they will poison the fish and the creatures in the sea. If people eat these poison contaminated fish, they can suffer irreversible brain damage.

Answer 6

Algal blooms can disrupt aquatic ecosystems by creating imbalances in nutrient levels, outcompeting other species for resources, reducing oxygen levels through decomposition, and producing toxins harmful to aquatic life. This disruption can lead to fish kills, loss of biodiversity, and shifts in ecosystem structure and function.

Answer 7

no