As an algae bloom grows, it darkens the water’s surface, which causes the water to absorb more sunlight and heat. This increased heat raises the water temperature, creating even more favorable conditions for the algae to grow. This process establishes a positive feedback loop: the more the bloom spreads, the more heat is absorbed, which further accelerates algal growth13.
"This sets up a feedback loop: water made darker by the presence of the blooms absorbs more sunlight, warming even more, and enhancing the conditions for more blooms"3.
Additionally, cyanobacteria (a common type of harmful algae) are especially well-adapted to thrive in these warmer, sunlit surface waters. They can outcompete other organisms by absorbing sunlight and releasing heat, making the surface waters even warmer and further increasing their advantage1.
This feedback mechanism is a significant reason why algal blooms can rapidly intensify during warm, sunny periods, especially in nutrient-rich waters13.
- https://www.epa.gov/habs/climate-change-and-freshwater-harmful-algal-blooms
- https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/algal-blooms
- https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/algae-blooms
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988319300344
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algal_bloom
- https://stateofthebay.ca/harmful-algal-blooms/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-05129-3
- https://glisa.umich.edu/resources-tools/climate-impacts/algal-blooms/
- https://ocean.org/blog/algal-blooms-a-crisis-in-our-waters/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568988323000586
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