Harmful algal bloom
BLOOM OF ALGAE THAT CAUSES HARM TO THE NEARBY ECOSYSTEM
Red tide; RED TIDE; Red Tide; Brown tide; Red Tides; Red tides; Harmful algae; Harmful algal blooms; Economic impact of harmful algal blooms; Toxic algal bloom; Green tide; Excessive algae growth; Toxic algae bloom
A harmful algal bloom (HAB) (or excessive algae growth) is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms by production of natural algae-produced toxins, mechanical damage to other organisms, or by other means. HABs are sometimes defined as only those algal blooms that produce toxins, and sometimes as any algal bloom that can result in severely lower oxygen levels in natural waters, killing organisms in marine or fresh waters.