I thought phytoplankton blooms were bad. Why are they needed in San Francisco Bay?
A. – Phytoplankton are an important part of most aquatic food webs and are therefore important in aquatic ecosystems. As with land plants, these single-celled plants may grow faster during the increased light of spring or summer, resulting in a phytoplankton bloom. Larvae of many animals, including fish, shrimp, crabs and other invertebrates depend on this increased food production to feed their young. Thus, phytoplankton blooms are a natural phenomena in most aquatic systems, such as the San Francisco Bay. In most healthy aquatic systems phytoplankton blooms are limited in duration by the amount of nutrients available or by these grazers.
