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Judi Lynn

(160,219 posts)
Sat Mar 25, 2017, 09:53 AM Mar 2017

There's an Algae Bloom the Size of Mexico in the Arabian Sea Right Now, and It's Not Good

The ocean is suffocating.
FIONA MACDONALD 25 MAR 2017





An algae bloom the size of Mexico has appeared in the Arabian Sea, thanks to a growing 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Oman.

It's not the first time the build-up of green slime has appeared during the winter months, but the bloom now stretches all the way from the shores of Oman on the west, to India and Pakistan on the east, turning the waves "almost guacamole-like", according to a NASA biologist. And it's not a good sign for the local ecosystem.

While these algae blooms might look pretty from space or at night - they're the same 'sea sparkles' that are responsible for bioluminescence - up close, they can have serious consequences.

Not only do they smell and look terrible, putting tourists off visiting local beaches, but these blooms can trigger the release of ammonia that poisons nearby marine life.

More:
http://www.sciencealert.com/there-s-an-algae-bloom-the-size-of-mexico-in-the-arabian-sea-right-now-and-it-s-not-a-good-sign

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