Question

What is algal bloom. How does it affect the lakes?

Answer 1

Algal blooms are formed by green, red, or blue-green algae often known as cyanobacteria. When an organism is dead in the water, the microorganisms decompose the dead matter. The algae consume this as food and begin to multiply. The increased number of algae consumes the dissolved oxygen in the water for survival. As a result, the living organisms in the lakes die. There is another type of algal bloom which is called harmful algal bloom (HAB) which produces toxins due to the increased availability of nutrients or higher temperatures.