"The ecological consequences of coralline algae decline are likely to be high, as they play key roles in many marine ecosystems". The loss of coralline algae could be particularly problematic for animals that graze on them or use their presence as an indicator of favorable habitat.
Algae declined in summer at Fethiye and Kas, and after October in Bodrum.
In parallel with these differences, coverage of corals and coralline algae declined from 71% to 21%, and cover by fleshy and turf algae increased from ∼20% to 68% from Kingman to Kiritimati [18].
All three systems were effective at inhibiting the alga with differences observed in the lag time before inhibition occurred and the rate of alga decline.
Scientists have already found that zooplankton species that normally eat algae are declining, and also retreating in their range.
"Once the levels of [the toxic algae] decline in the coastal waters, we usually start seeing the levels of domoic acid in bivalve shellfish (i.e., mussels and clams) and small finfish (i.e., anchovies and sardines) start to decline.
"Once the levels of [the toxic algae] decline in the coastal waters, we usually start seeing the levels of domoic acid in bivalve shellfish (i.e., mussels and clams) and small finfish (i.e., anchovies and sardines) start to decline.
But other changes in the water could be all too apparent: Where algae populations fall and fish have less to eat, global fish catch could decline by 20percentt by the year 2300, according to the World Economic Forum.
As sea ice extent declines, ice algae likely contribute a shrinking fraction of the total amount of organic matter produced in polar waters.
A predicted decline in algae, a vital nutrient that grows beneath the Arctic sea ice, will mean less food for cetaceans.
