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Climate
Landform
Algal Blooms - Causes and Management
Land Use
The frequency and intensity of algal blooms, particularly While there is no general
Soil toxic varieties of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), have agreement on what level of algal
become an ever increasing problem in Australia over biomass constitutes a bloom, it is
Water
recent years, for both the environment and for domestic, generally accepted that the term
Status of Water Resources agricultural, industrial and recreational users of water. encompasses any concentration of
and Supplies phytoplankton sufficient to impair
Not all blooms of blue-green algae are toxic. However, water quality.
Victoria´s Water
Resources
algal blooms (from both blue-green algae and true algae)
can cause discolouration of water, unsightly scums, tastes An algal bloom is defined as:
Access to Water and odours, depletion of dissolved oxygen and the
production of toxins. the visible appearance of free
Water Resource floating algae or distinct
Management
Tastes and odours can make water objectionable for discolouration of surface water
Biodiversity drinking and recreation. Where toxic, blooms can have (greening); and/or
serious health implications for recreational users, and an algal cell count greater than
Land and Water humans, animals and birds when contaminated water is 2,000 cells/ml of water.
Management contacted or consumed.
Marine
Causes of Algal Blooms
Catchment Region The growth of algae is influenced by a number of
Homepage environmental factors including nutrients, sunlight,
temperature, calm conditions, turbidity, pH, conductivity,
Soil & Land Survey Directory salinity, carbon availability, river flow and water storage
levels.
VRO Site Map
Nutrient Management
Nutrient availability is one of the main factors responsible
for controlling algal growth. Algal blooms generally only
occur in waterbodies when nutrient levels are high.
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