Algae Blooms Signal Trouble in Coastal Estuaries

Blooms of algae that have been clogging Florida's St. Lucie estuary, closing beaches and marinas and killing off critical sea grass beds along the state's Atlantic and Gulf coasts, are symptomatic of a larger problem of systems out of balance around the world, according to scientists. The frequency and intensity of oxygen-starved “dead zones” that accompany large blooms of algae are increasing globally, with the Gulf of Mexico dead zone expected to spread over an area the size of Connecticut this summer. (Circle of Blue)