Automatic area estimation of algal blooms in water bodies from UAV images using texture analysis

Algal blooms,the spread of algae on the surface of water bodies,have adverse effects not only on aquatic ecosystems but also on human life.The adverse effects of harmful algal blooms(HABs)necessitate a convenient solution for detection and monitoring.Unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have recently emerged as a tool for algal bloom detection,efficiently providing on-demand images at high spatiotemporal resolutions.This study developed an image processing method for algal bloom area estimation from the aerial images(obtained from the internet)captured using UAVs.As a remote sensing method of HAB detection,analysis,and monitoring,a combination of histogram and texture analyses was used to efficiently estimate the area of HABs.Statistical features like entropy(using the Kullback-Leibler method)were emphasized with the aid of a gray-level co-occurrence matrix.The results showed that the orthogonal images demonstrated fewer errors,and the morphological filter best detected algal blooms in real time,with a precision of 80%.This study provided efficient image processing approaches using on-board UAVs for HAB monitoring.

Impacts of algal blooms on sinking carbon flux and hypoxia off the Changjiang River estuary

Based on 10 multidisciplinary investigations conducted from February 2015 to January 2016,the phytoplankton community and its association with ambient seawater physicochemical parameters in the Changjiang(Yangtze)River estuary(CE)and its adjacent waters were comprehensively examined.In total,265 taxa were identified,belonging to 5 phyla and 94 genera.Diatoms(63.78%)and dinoflagellates(33.21%)were the dominant groups.The variation of diatom abundance showed a positive relationship with the nutrient concentrations while the dinoflagellate abundance showed a negative relationship.Two algal bloom events occurred during the investigation period.The Changjiang Diluted Water(CDW)induced environmental gradients in the upper layer,favoring the diatom bloom in July.The invasion of the nearshore Kuroshio branch current could affect the formation of a bloom of Prorocentrum donghaiense.With the blooming and senescence of phytoplankton,low dissolved oxygen(DO)and hypoxia occurred in the bottom waters.The bottom DO concentration displayed a significantly negative correlation with phytoplankton carbon flux.The present study provides straightforward evidence for the source of organic matter for oxygen consumption in the CE and its adjacent waters.

Factors inducing morphological transition in harmful algal bloom-forming species Phaeocystis globosa with emphasis on predator chemical cue

The microalga Phaeocystis globosa is recognized as a harmful alga and also one of the few keystone phytoplankton genera that shape the structure and function of marine ecosystems.P.globosa possess a complex polymorphic life cycle,exhibiting phase alternation between free-living cells of approximately 3-6μm in diameter and gelatinous colonies(palmelloid stage)reaching several millimeters.The knowledge on the factors that induced the morphological transition of P.globosa in the last two decades was reviewed.Emphasis is given to infochemicals,an additional biological factor induced by predator,with the attempt to reveal a relevant mechanism of induced morphological defense.

Physical Hydrography and Algal Bloom Transport in Hong Kong Waters

In sub-tropical coastal waters around Hong Kong, algal blooms and red tides are usually first sighted in the Mirs Bay, in the eastern waters of Hong Kong. A calibrated three-dimensional hydrodynamic model for the Pearl River Estuary （Delft3D） has been applied to the study of the physical hydrography of Hong Kong waters and its relationship with algal bloom transport patterns in the dry and wet seasons. The general 3D hydrodynamic circulation and salinity structure in the partially-mixed estuary are presented. Extensive numerical surface drogue tracking experiments are performed for algal blooms that are initiated in the Mirs Bay under different seasonal, wind and tidal conditions. The probability of bloom impact on the Victoria Harbour and nearby urban coastal waters is estimated. The computations show that： i） In the wet season （May - August）, algal blooms initiated in the Mirs Bay will move in a clockwise direction out of the bay, and be transported away from Hong Kong due to SW monsoon winds which drive the SW to NE coastal current; ii） In the dry season （November- April）, algal blooms initiated in the northeast Mirs Bay will move in an anti-clockwise direction and be carried away into southern waters due to the NE to SW coastal current driven by the NE monsoon winds; the bloom typically flows past the east edge of the Victoria Harbeur and nearby waters. Finally, the role of hydrodynamic transport in an important episodic event -- the spring 1998 massive red tide -- is quantitatively examined. It is shown that the strong NE to E wind during late March to early April, coupled with the diurnal tide at the beginning of April, significantly increased the probability of bloom transport into the Port Shelter and East Lamma Channel, resulting in the massive fish kill. The results provide a basis for risk assessment of harmful algal bloom （HAB） impact on urban coastal waters around the Victoria Habour.

Sustainable Utilization of Agricultural Straw for Harmful Algal Blooms Control:A Review

The use of agricultural straw for algal bloom control has been studied for more than 30 years.In this article,we have reviewed the promising potentials of using agricultural straw as source of anti-algal agents,including the effectiveness of each major straw type so far used in this regard,and the investigated algal species.Various pre-treatment methods have also been widely reviewed.Significant progress has been made in natural product chemistry and molecular biology with regards to agricultural straw,especially in relation to the extraction of antialgal allelochemicals,degradation processes of agricultural straws and the mechanisms through which these inhibitions occur.The development of biotechnologies using agricultural straw to successfully inhibit growth of bloom forming algae has been generally accepted as environmentally friendly.The current research status and that of the future should include isolation and discovery of antialgal allelochemicals,development of models that would illustrate the sequence of physiologic events that match the species-specific inhibitor phenomenon,and products fit in the field applications.

Harmful algal bloom-forming dinofl agellate Prorocentrum donghaiense inhibits the growth and photosynthesis of seaweed Sargassum fusiformis embryos

Harmful algal bloom(HAB)is an ecological disaster to local mariculture.At present,its impact on macrophytes has not been well studied.In this study,we cultivated sexually propagated embryos of S argassum fusiformis-an edible seaweed-in Prorocentrum donghaiense suspensions at different cell densities(0,0.50×10^(5),0.75×10^(5),1.00×10^(5),and 1.50×10^(5) cells/mL)for 10 days,during which growth and photosynthetic activities of the embryos were determined,and a monocultivation was set up for comparison.Results show that the relative growth rate and photosynthetic activities of the embryos co-cultivated with P.donghaiense were inhibited mostly and significantly in the cell densities of 0.75×10^(5),1.00×10^(5),and 1.50×10^(5) cells/mL,and the inhibitory effects increased in overall with increased cell densities.The maximum relative electron transport rates(rETR max)and apparent photosynthetic efficiency(a)of co-cultivated embryos were all significantly lower than monocultivation ones on the 10 th day.Furthermore,the photosynthetic activity detected by chlorophyll-a fluorescence transient(i.e.,OJIP),the electron transport among electron transfer accepters of PSII(photosystem II)and that from PSII to PSI(photosystem I)was restricted,which is probably responsible for the decreases of rETR max andain the co-cultivated embryos.In addition,parts of the photosynthetic reaction centers of PSII in the co-cultivated embryos were inactivated.Therefore,P.donghaiense bloom could restrain the development and photosynthetic activities of S.fusiformis embryos,reduce the seedlings stock,and eventually hinder the development of S.fusiformis production industry.

A numerical model study on multi-species harmful algal blooms coupled with background ecological fields

Based on systematized physical, chemical, and biological modules, a multi-species harmful algal bloom （HAB） model coupled with background ecological fields was established. This model schematically embod-ied that HAB causative algal species and the background ecological system, quantified as total biomass, were significantly different in terms of the chemical and biological processes during a HAB while the inter-action between the two was present. The model also included a competition and interaction mechanism between the HAB algal species or populations. The Droop equation was optimized by considering tempera-ture, salinity, and suspended material impact factors in the parameterization of algal growth rate with the nutrient threshold. Two HAB processes in the springs of 2004 and 2005 were simulated using this model. Both simulation results showed consistent trends with corresponding HAB processes observed in the East China Sea, which indicated the rationality of the model. This study made certain progress in modeling HABs, which has great application potential for HAB diagnosis, prediction, and prevention.

Does reduced sediment load contribute to increased outbreaks of harmful algal blooms off the Changjiang Estuary?

Harmful algal blooms（HABs） have been increasingly frequent in coastal waters around the world over the last several decades. Accelerated coastal eutrophication, resulting from the increased anthropogenic loadings of nutrients, is commonly assumed to be the primary cause of this increase. However, although important,accelerated coastal eutrophication may not be the only explanation for the increasing blooms or toxic outbreaks in estuarine waters. Changes in riverine material fluxes other than nutrients, such as sediment load, may significantly affect biological activities and HAB incidence in estuarine and coastal waters. A case study off the Changjiang（Yangtze River） Estuary indicated that with the increasing riverine loadings of nutrients, the sediment load from the Changjiang River has been reduced by 70% over the past four decades. A comparison of long-term data revealed that the phytoplankton biomass maximum has expanded to a region of much lower salinity due to the drastic reduction in riverine sediment load and the subsequent improvement in light penetration in the Changjiang River plume. Furthermore, there was an apparent mirror-image relationship between the sediment load from the Changjiang River and the HAB incidence off the Changjiang Estuary over the past four decades, and the number of HAB incidents was significantly negatively correlated with the sediment load. Therefore, it is argued that the drastic decline in sediment load from the Changjiang River reduced turbidity in the Changjiang Estuary and thus contributed to the increased frequency of HABs in the buoyant discharge plumes.

Increased diversity and environmental threat of harmful algal blooms in the Southern Yellow Sea,China

Harmful algal blooms(HABs)in the Southern Yellow Sea(SYS)have shown a trend of increasing diversity and detrimental ef fects.While the Bohai Sea,East China Sea,and South China Sea have experienced a high incidence of HABs since the 1980s,the Yellow Sea provides a relatively healthy ecological environment in which fewer HABs have been documented before the 21s t century.Yet largescale blooms of the green macroalga Ulva prolifera(so-called“green tides”)have occurred annually since 2007 in the Yellow Sea.Six people were poisoned and one person died in Lianyungang in 2008 due to ingestion of algal toxins.Moreover,the Yellow Sea experienced co-occurrence of harmful red tides,green tides,and golden tides in 2017.This combination of events,rare worldwide,indicates the potential for further deterioration of the marine environment in the Yellow Sea,which may be related to climate change,aquaculture,and other human activities.Using the SYS as an example,we collected data of the frequency and scale of HABs over the years,as well as that of marine algal toxins,and analyzed the trend in the diversity of HABs in the SYS,to explore the causes and impacts of HABs,as well as the interrelationships among dif ferent types of HABs,including harmful red tides,green tides,and golden tides.We also attempted to improve our understanding of HAB evolution under the influence of global climate change and intensified human activities.

Differentiation of Algal Blooms and Aquatic Vegetation in Chinese Lakes Using Modified Vegetation Presence Frequency Index Method

Algal blooms in lakes have become a common global environmental problem. Nowadays, remote sensing is widely used to monitor algal blooms in lakes due to the macroscopic, fast, real-time characteristics. However, it is often difficult to distinguish between algal blooms and aquatic vegetation due to their similar spectral characteristics. In this paper, we used modified vegetation presence frequency index(VPF) based on Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS) imagery to distinguish algal blooms from aquatic vegetation, and analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of algal blooms and aquatic vegetation from a phenological perspective for five large natural lakes with frequent algal bloom outbreaks in China from 2019 to 2020. We simplified the VPF method to make it with a higher spatial transferability so that it could be applied to other lakes in different climatic zones. Through accuracy validation, we found that the modified VPF method can effectively distinguish between algal blooms and aquatic vegetation, and the results vary from lake to lake. The highest accuracy of 97% was achieved in Hulun Lake, where the frequency of algal outbreaks is low and the extent of aquatic vegetation is stable, while the lowest accuracy of 76% was achieved in Dianchi Lake, which is rainy in summer and the lake is small. Analyses suggests that the time period when algal blooms occur most frequently might not coincide with that when they have the largest area. However, in most cases these two are close in terms of time period. The modified VPF method has a broad scope of application, is easy to implement, and has a high practical value. Furthermore, the method could be established using only a small amount of measured data, which is useful for water quality monitoring on large spatial scales.

The impact of the accumulation of algal blooms on reed wetlands in the littoral zones of Chaohu Lake

In a large eutrophic lake,the littoral zone is normally an area with high-density elevated aquatic plant life,including algal blooms,where the presence of reed wetlands allows the accumulation of algae.In this study,the impact of accumulated algal blooms in reed wetlands in the littoral zone s of Chaohu Lake was investigated seasonally from 2018 to 2019.The concentrations of chlorophyll a(Chl a),total nitrogen(TN),and total phosphorus(TP)were much higher in the reed-covered littoral zones(RCLZ)than in the unvegetated littoral zones(ULZ),indicating that more algal biomass was trapped and accumulated in the RCLZ.Algal biomass could be horizontally transported to downwind littoral zones under low wind speeds,favoring the establishment of blooms.Algal accumulation levels were highest in summer due to high water temperatures and algal biomasses.Likewise,the northern littoral zones were conducive to the development of large algal blooms because of the wind pattern.The values of TN,TP,Chl a,and loss on ignition in surface sediments were higher in the RCLZ than in the ULZ.Moreover,the diffusive fluxes of ammonium and soluble reactive pho sphorus were also higher in the RCLZ than in the ULZ.Considering the capability of reed wetlands to trap algae,mechanical salvage and other physical methods should be adopted to eliminate algal biomass when massive blooms accumulate in the RCLZ.

Overview of harmful algal blooms(red tides)in Hong Kong during 1975–2021

Hong Kong has a long historical record of harmful algal blooms(HABs).In the 1980s-1990s,HABs were mainly pollution-related and most of the events happened in estuaries and enclosed embayment such as Tolo Harbour and Port Shelter.The major cause of HABs in 1980s-1990s was closely related to nutrients enrichment;included but not limited to changes in the concentration and ratio of soluble N and P in seawater.The major causative organisms of HABs in Hong Kong by then were meso-plankton such as selected species of diatoms and dinofl agellates.Sometimes,zooplankton was also a cause of red tides(the common name of HABs).There has been gradual change after the 2000s.It is attributed to higher and higher influences from the region,namely the Zhujiang(Pearl)River delta.There are increasing influences from Chinese mainland due to extraordinary social and economic growths during the past 20 years.In the past10 years,HABs in Hong Kong was mainly subject to regional impacts in the Zhujiang River delta.Both the duration period and covered areas have been enlarged which overwhelmed the localized influences of stream pollution and self-contamination of aquaculture zones.More flagellates of uncommon happening become dominant species in HAB now.Nevertheless,the seasonal impact of Noctiluca scintillans in late winter to mid spring remained.

Harmful Algal Bloom Research in China

Proliferations of harmful algae in coastal waters, i.e., harmful algal blooms (HABs), popularly known as 'red tides,' have attracted the concern of governments and scientists worldwide. In recent years, HABs have occurred in China with increasing frequency and scope. These outbreaks have seriously affected the economy along the coast through fish kills, heavy losses in aquaculture, threats to human health, and other effects detrimental to the marine ecosystem. Therefore, it is important to pay special attention to the ecology and oceanography studies related to the outbreak of HABs. Only through the combination of the advancement of such knowledge with the strengthening of the monitoring network can we develop a HAB warning system for the sustainable development of the coastal economy.

Effects of temperature, salinity, and irradiance on the growth of harmful algal bloom species Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel(Prymnesiophyceae) isolated from the South China Sea

Blooms of Phaeocystis globosa have been frequently reported in Chinese coastal waters, causing serious damage to marine ecosystems. To better understand the ecological characteristics of P. globosa in Chinese coastal waters that facilitate its rapid expansion, the effects of temperature, salinity and irradiance on the growth of P. globosa from the South China Sea were examined in the laboratory. The saturating irradiance for the growth of P. globosa( I s) was 60 μmol/(m 2 ?s), which was lower than those of other harmful algal species(70–114 μmol/(m^2 ?s)). A moderate growth rate of 0.22/d was observed at 2 μmol/(m^2 ?s)(the minimum irradiance in the experiment), and photo-inhibition did not occur at 230 μmol/(m^2 ?s)(the maximum irradiance in the experiment). Exposed to 42 different combinations of temperatures(10–31°C) and salinities(10–40) under saturating irradiance, P. globosa exhibited its maximum specific growth rate of 0.80/d at the combinations of 24°C and 35, and 27°C and 40. The optimum growth rates(>0.80/d) were observed at temperatures ranging from 24 to 27°C and salinities from 35 to 40. While P. globosa was able to grow well at temperatures from 20°C to 31°C and salinities from 20 to 40, it could not grow at temperatures lower than 15°C or salinities lower than 15. Factorial analysis revealed that temperature and salinity has similar influences on the growth of this species. This strain of P. globosa not only prefers higher temperatures and higher salinity, but also possesses a flexible nutrient competing strategy, adapted to lower irradiance. Therefore, the P. globosa population from South China Sea should belong to a new ecotype. There is also a potentially high risk of blooms developing in this area throughout the year.

Monitoring cyanobacteria-dominant algal blooms in eutrophicated Taihu Lake in China with synthetic aperture radar images

Monitoring algal blooms by optical remote sensing is limited by cloud cover.In this study,synthetic aperture radar(SAR) was deployed with the aim of monitoring cyanobacteria-dominant algal blooms in Taihu Lake in cloudy weather.The study shows that dark regions in the SAR images caused by cyanobacterial blooms damped the microwave backscatter of the lake surface and were consistent with the regions of algal blooms in quasi-synchronous optical images,confirming the applicability of SAR for detection of surface blooms.Low backscatter may also be associated with other factors such as low wind speeds,resulting in interference when monitoring algal blooms using SAR data alone.After feature extraction and selection,the dark regions were classified by the support vector machine method with an overall accuracy of 67.74%.SAR can provide a reference point for monitoring cyanobacterial blooms in the lake,particularly when weather is not suitable for optical remote sensing.Multi-polarization and multi-band SAR can be considered for use in the future to obtain more accurate information regarding algal blooms from SAR data.

Spatio-temporal variations of harmful algal blooms along the coast of Guangdong,Southern China during 1980–2016

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have become a recurring problem, posing severe impacts on marine ecosystems, fisheries, mariculture industry, and even public health. In this study, the geographic information system (GIS) was utilized to determine spatial and temporal characteristics of HAB events in the coastal waters of Guangdong from 1980–2016. We analyzed distribution patterns and characteristics of HABs by dividing the coast of Guangdong into well-known bays, estuary and coastal waters. Results showed that there were a total of 337 HABs recorded in Guangdong coastal waters. Spatial and temporal distributions varied among diff erent regions. Most HABs occurred in the Mirs Bay, followed by the west coast of Daya Bay, while a few occurred in the west and east coasts of Guangdong but with an increasing trend in the past two decades. HABs occurred mostly in warmer months of March to May in the western coast of Guangdong, March and April in Mirs Bay, April in Zhujiang (Pearl) River estuary, November in eastern coast of Guangdong. For Daya Bay, most HABs were reported between March and September. The most frequently occurring HABs species were Noctiluca scintillans , Phaeocystis globosa , Skeletonema costatum and Scrippsiella trochoidea , occurring mostly in Mirs Bay, western Guangdong coast area, eastern Guangdong coast area and Zhujiang River estuary and Daya Bay, respectively. Ichthyotoxic blooms were more common than toxic blooms, and Heterosigma akashiwo , Chattonella marina , Karenia mikimotoi and P haeocystis globosa were the most common ichthyotoxic species. Our results provide baseline information useful for policy making and management of HABs in the region.

Temporal and spatial characteristics of harmful algal blooms in Qingdao Waters,China

Qingdao waters,including both the semi-enclosed Jiaozhou Bay(JB) and the adjacent water out of JB(OJB),have been the areas that are most frequently affected by harmful algal blooms(HABs) in the western Yellow Sea(west of 124°E).In this research,HAB occurrences in Qingdao waters from 1990 to 2009 were investigated using spatial tools in geographic information system(GIS) and are discussed in terms of their connection to temporal variation.Additionally,the effects of each HAB occurrence were further evaluated using a simple model.The calculated results were then visualized using a GIS software to indicate the effects of HABs in Qingdao waters during the entire period.As a result,the OJB was proven to be responsible for the frequent HAB occurrences in Qingdao waters after 2000,although JB was traditionally believed to be the principle source of HAB occurrences in Qingdao waters.In addition,increasing nitrogen and N/P structure imbalance were essential for increasing HAB occurrences in Qingdao waters throughout the entire period,especially for the recent HAB occurrences in the OJB.The results of this research would improve the current understanding on HAB occurrences in Qingdao waters,which would benefit HAB monitoring and the implementation of a control strategy in China as well.

Present Situation and Control of Outbreaks of Algal Blooms in the Three Gorges Reservoir

After water storage in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region,there are no outbreaks of algal blooms in the main stream of the reservoir region,but the density of algae increases obviously. Outbreaks of algal blooms mainly appeared in the tributaries of the reservoir region such as the Xiangxi River,Daning River,Shennong River and Xiaojiang River,but they did not occur every year. The reasons for outbreaks of algal blooms in the tributaries are shown as follows: the existence of sources of algae(blue-green algae) in the Three Gorges Reservoir is the root cause,and the sources include sources existing and being produced in the reservoir and sources from upstream main stream and its tributaries and other related lakes and reservoirs,of which the sources are mainly from the Dianchi Lake; slight or moderate eutrophication of water is the basic condition;hydrologic and hydrodynamic conditions and suitable temperature are conducive to proliferation and aggregation of algae(blue-green algae) after the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir until outbreaks of algal blooms appear. Outbreaks of algal blooms in the tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region mainly appear in backwater reaches; they mainly occur in the tributaries in the north of the reservoir region and near to the dam;they mainly appear from March to July; the dominant species of algae( blue-green algae) in the Three Gorges Reservoir are Pyrrophyta,Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta,but they tend to change into blue-green algae and other algae. To control outbreaks of algal blooms in the tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region,it is needed to prevent water containing blue-green algae collected from the Dianchi Lake and other lakes and reservoirs from being input into the lower reaches,reduce pollution load flowing into the Three Gorges Reservoir,use enclosures to change hydrodynamic conditions of backwater reaches of the tributaries appropriately,and adopt biological measures such as culturing fish and planting plants to improve ecosystem of the tributaries and other measures to inhibit and eliminate algae and decrease eutrophication level.

Characteristics of Large-Scale Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the Yangtze River Estuary and the Adjacent East China Sea (ECS) from 2000 to 2010

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a serious worldwide issue which has posed great risks on marine ecosystems and public health by directly releasing toxins or indirectly leading to anoxia in marine environment. In recent years HABs have caused huge economic losses in China, particularly in the Yangtze Estuary and the adjacent East China Sea (ECS). The present study investigated the spatial-temporal and species characteristics of large-scale HABs in this area using geographic information system (GIS) Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) spatial analysis, statistical methods and satellite image interpretation. Results revealed that the Yangtze Estuary, Zhoushan island, Xiangshan bay and Jiushan island are the regions with highest frequency of large-scale HABs. HABs in the ECS reached a peak in terms of total number and area in 2003 to 2005 and occupied a high percentage (around 70% in area and 60% in occurrence) in the four Chinese coastal waters. The number of large-scale HABs (> 1000 km2) in the Yangtze Estuary and the adjacent ECS declined after 2005 while that of HABs (> 100 km2) declined after 2008. Large-scale HABs occurrences concentrated in summer (May to July), and the averaged duration increased continually from the shortest time (1.3 days) in 2001 to the longest (10.9 days) in 2010 for each HAB. 17 causative species were found with Prorocentrum dentutam as the most frequent dominant species, followed by Skeletonema costatum, Karenia mikimotoi, and Chaetoceros curvisetus. Water discoloration observed in MODIS satellite true color images was well consistent with the corresponding HABs reported by State Oceanic Administration of China (SOA). Multiple factors involving eutrophication, physical dynamics, topography and deposition conditions contributed to the formation of frequent HABs in the ECS. Three strategies including establishing a synthesized system, improving the previous database and investigating multiple contributors were proposed for future HABs monitoring and management.

I mpact of several harmful algal bloom(HAB) causing species, on life history characteristics of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis Müller

In recent years, harmful algal blooms(HABs) have occurred frequently along the coast of China, and have been exhibiting succession from diatom- to dinofl agellate-dominated blooms. To examine the eff ects of dif ferent diatom and dinofl agellate HABs, the life history parameters of rotifers(B rachionus plicatilis Müller) were measured after exposure to dif ferent concentrations of HAB species. The HAB species examined included a diatom(S keletonema costatum) and four dinofl agellates( Prorocentrum donghaiense, Alexandrium catenella, Prorocentrum lima and Karlodinium venefi cum). Compared with the control treatment(CT), the diatom S. costatum showed no adverse impacts on rotifers. Exposure to dinofl agellates at densities equivalent to those measured in the fi eld resulted in a reduction in all the life history parameters measured. This included a reduction in: lifetime egg production(CT: 20.34 eggs/ind.) reduced to 10.11, 3.22, 4.17, 7.16 eggs/ind., life span(CT: 394.53 h) reduced to 261.11, 162.90, 203.67, 196 h, net reproductive rate(CT: 19.51/ind.) reduced to 3.01, 1.26, 3.53, 5.96/ind., fi nite rate of increase(CT: 1.47/d) reduced to 1.16, 1.03, 1.33, 1.38/d, and intrinsic rate of population increase(CT: 0.39/d) reduced to 0.15, 0.03, 0.28, 0.32/d, for the dinofl agellates P. donghaiense, A. catenella, P. lima and K. venefi cum, respectively. The results showed that the diatom S. costatum had no detrimental consequences on the reproduction and growth of B. plicatilis, however, the four dinofl agellates tested did show adverse ef fects. This suggests that dinofl agellate HABs may suppress microzooplankton, resulting in an increase in algal numbers.