Paying Heed to Global Implications of Algal Blooms Past and Present

Abstract

What does a backward look at the end-Cretaceous mass extinction 66 million years ago have in common with space-based instruments that detect photosynthetic pigments of algal blooms? In both cases, the findings suggest that environmental conditions are critical for enabling toxic or nontoxic algal blooms to proliferate—and, more dramatically, help to explain what can cause ecosystems to collapse.