Algal blooms and their socio-economic impact
Algal blooms are a natural phenomena caused by a rapid growth of aquatic algae in waterbodies. Bloom formation is influenced by light intensity, water temperature, pH, climate change, water flow, water column stability and anthropogenic modifications of aquatic environment including nutrient over-enrichment (eutrophication). Indeed, in the last years, an increasing trend of blooms caused by cyanobacteria (photosynthetic bacteria) have been reported in freshwater due to the warmer temperatures. During an algal bloom, the water colour could vary from green to brown, red or yellow depending on the organism causing the bloom and the concentration of the organism. Not all algal blooms are dense enough to induce water discoloration and blooms of algae that discolour the water have traditionally been called “red tides”, whether toxic or not. The occurrence of blooms in aquatic environment is considered an environmental problem of serious concern due to direct and indirect negative impacts on different sectors such as fishery, tourism and public health.
SANSEVERINO Isabella;
CONDUTO ANTÓNIO Diana Sofia;
POZZOLI Luca;
DOBRICIC Srdan;
LETTIERI Teresa;
2019-03-14
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC113170
978-92-79-96728-3 (online),
978-92-79-96729-0 (print),
OP KJ-01-18-997-EN-N (online),
OP KJ-01-18-997-EN-C (print),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC113170,
10.2760/84416 (online),
10.2760/468740 (print),
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