Chlorophyll a
Chlorophyll is the pigment that allows plants (including algae) to convert sunlight into organic compounds during photosynthesis. Balanced communities of algae are essential to support life in the Bay, but excessive amounts of nutrients can create algal blooms that impair water clarity and contribute to low dissolved oxygen.
Status:
Every year harmful algal blooms cover a portion of the Bay and its tributaries. In 2010, scientists estimate that about 22 percent of the Bay’s waters had acceptable concentrations of chlorophyll a, versus 29% in 2009.
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