An algal bloom in Lake Erie photographed by a Landsat satellite in September 2017 Joshua Stevens/NASA Earth Observatory using Landsat 8 data from the U.S. Geological Survey
Blooms of algae that strangle freshwater ecosystems are occurring more often in lakes across most of the world, according to the first study to map their incidence globally.
An algal bloom is the rapid build-up of algae in a body of water after excess nutrients, such as nitrogen or phosphorous, pollute the ecosystem – often as a result of fertiliser use on farms. The bloom can harm other organisms, including fish and insects, by blocking out light,…
