China's largest algal bloom turns the Yellow Sea green

The largest algal bloom ever recorded in China has turned the Yellow Sea green and may be related to pollution from agriculture and industry.

Officials in the city of Qingdao had used bulldozers to remove 7,335 tonnes of the growth from beaches according to the Xinhua news agency.

The phenomenon has become an annual occurrence in the region over the past six summers. This year's incident has swathed 28,900 sq km (11,158 sq miles), twice as much as the previous biggest bloom in 2008.

The algae, called Enteromorpha prolifera, is not toxic to humans or animals.

However the carpet on the surface can dramatically change the ecology of the environment beneath it. It blocks sunlight from entering the ocean and sucks oxygen from the water suffocating marine life.

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Town Pond Turns Fluorescent Green

Town Pond in the heart of East Hampton Village has turned a bright green. What caused the change in color remains a "phenomenon," according to Mayor Paul Rickenbach, Jr. He said he noticed a change in color last Friday and on Saturday, when the color of the pond turned fluorescent, he reached out to officials for answers.

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Algal bloom spreads along coast

An algal bloom blamed for killing worms, sea urchins and other sea creatures has spread along the west coast of Scotland.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (Sepa), said the bloom was now in Loch Ryan in Dumfries and Galloway.

If follows reports last week of the same issue affecting waters at Bute, Ayr, Prestwick and West Kilbride.

Sepa said the bloom was likely to be dispersed by the tide and was no danger to humans or other mammals.

Sepa's Alistair McNeill said the number of dead sea invertebrates had caused public concern.

"Understandably people were worried that this was the result of a pollution incident, but it appears that this is a natural phenomenon," he said.

"This plankton was linked with similar problems elsewhere in Scotland in 2006.

"The bloom is likely to disperse naturally with tidal movement and under the influence of changing weather patterns."

A spokesman for Dumfries and Galloway Council's environmental standards department said there was currently "no risk to public health".




http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8142907.stm