Thick, green algae covers 200 square miles of Yellow Sea

Thick, green algae covers 200 square miles of Yellow Sea

Almost 200 square miles (500 square kilometers) of the Yellow Sea off China are covered by a massive bloom of green algae, according to a report from China's Xinhua news service.

The bloom has spread to almost 7,400 square miles (19,050 square kilometers) in total and is expected to grow, Xinhua reported, citing the North China Sea Marine Forecasting Center of State Oceanic Administration.

The algae bloom threatens marine life as it sucks oxygen from the water although the algae itself is not poisonous, according to the Xinhua report.

Researchers don't know what causes the massive algae blooms, first seen in the Yellow Sea in 2007.

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"We don't know where it originated and why it's suddenly growing so rapidly," Bao Xianwen from the Qingdao-based Ocean University of China, told the China Daily earlier this month. "It must have something to do with the change in the environment, but we are not scientifically sure of the reasons."

Notwithstanding the negative implications to the immediate environment, I found these images oddly beautiful.

Oooo, quick...compost, biofuel and possibly dinner

They are beautiful and the thread is really cool.

And I love how your screen name and avatar work so well with the photos in the thread. Really decorative. S+F

Thats crazy, you wouldn't catch me dead in there..well, maybe dead. But not willingly in there.. Dunno why, algae grosses me out.

Wouldn't radiation make something like that multiply like crazy? Perhaps not though, but that would explain it if it could be proved.

Another excuse to make algae powered machinery

Do you think that it may cause an outbreak of disease? I find it odd that the bacteria is manifesting itself unlike anything we have seen before and experts still arent sure of its origin ummmm not to mention the threat to the animal life, I wonder what the impact of this is going to bring?

Great thread, wonder what strain of algae it is. many different kinds are vary edible. Great photos. S+F as far as radiation feeding the algae i highly doubt that.

An algae bloom is usually the result of extra nutrients like an excess of nitratres from agriculture being washed into the sea, or a higher temperature decaying matter that bit faster than normal releasing nutrients.
I would try to get it out of there and use it before it goes off itself, algae sprays on crops are good for the soil and the actual crop, it can keep some pests away

reply to post by celticpride


Great song there in your signature btw. Lots of meaning to it.

ty, yeah I'm a bit cynical of hypocrites and everyone needs reminding of that innocent time, once upon a time

With all the chemical processing that is outsourced to China these days, I'm going to go with chemical dumping as a reason for the cause. I think if you track back to early Western dumping, you will find that phosphates and strong bases caused algae blooms to grow.

More on this.

ETA: Just noticed someone in this thread also mentioned nitrates.

also discussed here:

Algae Bloom in China a Mystery

www.abovetopsecret.com...