Harmful Algal Blooms
St. Lawrence River (2008)

Harmful Algal Bloom in the St. Lawrence River (2008)

     In 2008 a wave of red water swept through the St. Lawrence River killing many water organisms including 15 endangered beluga whales. So what is a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)? In this case the killer of hundreds of fish and other aqua lovers was a single celled eukaryote that curiously didn't belong to the kingdom of animalia, plants, fungi, or bacteria. This mystery killer is actually a protist that goes by the name of phytoplankton or dinoflagellates. This is just one example of how protists can have dramatic effects on our environment when we least expect it.