Algal blooms are rapid, transient increases in algal biomass in aquatic ecosystems, typically driven by nutrient enrichment (especially bioavailable nitrogen and phosphorus), favorable light and temperature conditions, and water column stability. They often involve phytoplankton, including cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates, and can reach densities that markedly alter primary production, oxygen dynamics, and food-web structure. In research, algal blooms are studied as manifestations of eutrophication, with emphasis on nutrient loading thresholds, community succession, and biogeochemical feedbacks. Harmful algal blooms (HABs), a subset, are investigated for toxin production, bloom initiation and termination mechanisms, and impacts on ecosystem services and biogeochemical cycling.
Massive blooms of Sargassum seaweed that have inundated coastlines across the Atlantic since 2011 likely originate off the coast of West Africa—forming years before they are visible and overturning long-standing assumptions ...
Earth Sciences
Apr 16, 2026
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Walk across a mudflat at low tide and you might notice small, neat mounds of sediment scattered across the surface.
Environment
Apr 15, 2026
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Research published in Nature Water found that widespread application of the common farm fertilizer, urea, severely degrades water quality in the Canadian Prairies. Researchers at the University of Manitoba and the University ...
Ecology
Apr 15, 2026
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A "perfect storm" of conditions combining upwelling from the deep with run off from the land may be driving crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef. In new research from the Australian Institute ...
Ecology
Apr 15, 2026
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7
After months of relentlessly miserable weather for most of the UK, spring brings renewed enthusiasm for spending time outdoors hiking, wild swimming, paddling, or on walks.
Environment
Apr 10, 2026
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As climate change intensifies harmful algal blooms worldwide, an international team led by Hiroshima University has developed a hybrid modeling approach that combines algal movement simulations, AI, and long-term monitoring ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 9, 2026
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7
Snapper are central to coastal life across southern Australia, supporting fisheries, local businesses, and regional tourism. New Flinders University research has found that although snapper populations across southern Australia ...
Ecology
Apr 7, 2026
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35
With its striking San Francisco Bay settings, director Alfred Hitchcock's iconic horror film "The Birds" has captivated audiences for more than 60 years. For Hitchcock, the film—set in an ocean-side town terrorized by swarming, ...
Environment
Apr 6, 2026
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12
Algae blooms make a pond's surface shine in mesmerizing green hues. But if the microorganisms responsible are cyanobacteria, they can also release toxins that harm humans and wildlife alike. A team reporting in ACS ES&T Water ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 5, 2026
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93
Villagers on a remote island in Papua New Guinea have been warned not to eat fish until scientists can identify the cause of thousands of deaths of marine creatures and hundreds of cases of illness.
Ecology
Mar 19, 2026
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