Major Algal Blooms Visible Off Both Coasts of U.S., Satellite Images Show

Major algal blooms have appeared off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S. this month, as shown in these NASA

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East Coast algal bloom
satellite images. Algae and other forms of phytoplankton are microscopic, plant-like organisms that form the basis of the oceans’ food webs. When conditions are right, phytoplankton can reproduce rapidly and bloom to scales that are visible from space. Some blooms are benign — such as the one off the East Coast — and serve as rich feeding grounds for fish and whales. Other blooms, however, can be harmful because they deplete ocean waters of oxygen and sometimes release toxic compounds that poison birds and fish. The West Coast algal bloom contains toxin-producing phytoplankton, and it may be linked to deaths of whales, sea birds, and forage fish, scientists say.