INTRODUCTION

•Algae are members of a group of predominantly aquatic photosynthetic

organisms of the kingdom Protista e.g Cystoseira amentacea
•Macro and micro-algae were previously not subject of serious conservation.
•Due to their various uses , need for conservation arose.
•Their existence in the ecosystem is being threatened by various factors as
discussed below.

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 ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE SUSTAINABLE
USE OF MACRO AND MICRO-ALGAE
• Habitat alienation
• Due to development of coastlines
• Construction destroys existing reef communities
• Subsequent dredging and sediment infill during coastal
development

• The above lead to alienation and fragmentation of habitats of micro

and macro algae
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Cont.

• Coastal development also indirect changes in hydrodynamics and

sedimentation
• Light availability is altered
• The environment in which algae occurs is also affected
• Groynes alter sediment transport in the nearshore zone
• Siltation resulting into environmental stress, reducing suitability of
the habitat for algal growth
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ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE SUSTAINABLE
USE OF MACRO AND MICRO-ALGAE

• Pollution
• From point sources like industrial effluent
• From diffuse sources like oil spills
• From micro plastic and thermoplastics

• Marine disposal of sewage from coastal development

• Contributes to nutrient accumulation and other chemicals
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ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE SUSTAINABLE
USE OF MACRO AND MICRO-ALGAE

• Cage fish farming

• Synthetic additives from fish feed
• Antibiotics given to fish
• Reduction in water quality
• From nutrient load leading to eutrophication
• Eutrophication leads to low oxygen concentration hence shifts in
species composition
• Example: Dominant brown macroalgae are lost due to sewage
outfalls from effluent
• This leads to decrease in species diversity
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Cont.

• Reduced light penetration

• From eutrophication and sediment load
• Leads increased attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation
thus reduced light penetration
• Siltation
• Changes in land use patterns lead to increased sediment run-off
from land
• Large sediments reduce light penetration
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 ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE
SUSTAINABLE USE OF MACRO AND MICRO-
ALGAE
• Toxic chemical compounds from industrial wastes
• Example: Bromine which imparts deleterious effect on developing
zygotes of Fucus
• Chemicals from aquaculture projects especially fish feed
• Antifouling compounds from boats which affect metabolic pathways
of algae
• Mechanical damage from anchoring of pleasure boats especially to
Cystoseira mediterranea
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 ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE
SUSTAINABLE USE OF MACRO AND
MICRO-ALGAE
• Introduction of alien species like Sargassum muticum and Undaria
pinnatifida
• Replacement of dominant macroalgae
• Shifting in communities and trophic food webs
• Plastic pollution
• Land based sources from packaging material, household goods,
items related to coastal tourism, cosmetics among others
• Seabased based sources like lines, buoys, oil bottles, ropes
• Bottom trawling
• Leads to wide spread disturbance of sediments in shelf seas
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ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS TO THE SUSTAINABLE
USE OF MACRO AND MICRO-ALGAE

• Human trampling has a negative impact on biological diversity of

rocky shores especially on macro algae

• Climate change

• Increased herbivorous fishes

• Floods

• Increased herbivorous invertebrate communities

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 MITIGATION MEASURES AGAINST
THE ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS
• Strict laws and regulations to protect algae

• Increased public awareness and understanding and contribution to

biodiversity work

• Use of recommended amounts fertilizers especially in agricultural

activities to reduce amount of nutrient running off into the water bodies

• Investment in research to understand best approaches of conserving the

algae
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Mitigation measures cont..

• Establishment of specialized bodies to protect algae like it is

for animals (ZOO) plants (botanical centres)

• Use of culture collection incase of extinct of some species

• Cryopreservation of algae
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 CONCLUSION

• Algae generally play a vital role in the ecosystem and have

been found to be of various uses therefore measures ought to

be put place to reduce on the threats imposed on algal

communities and the environmental threats related to human

sources.
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 REFERENCES
• Butcher, R. W. 1947. Studies in the ecology of rivers. IV. The algae of
organically enriched water. J. Ecol. 35:186–91.
• Bellinger, E. G. & Sigee, D. 2010. Freshwater Algae: Identification and Use
as Bioindicators. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, West Chester. Beyers,
D. W. 1998.
• Causal inference in environmental impact studies. J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc.
17:367–73.
Biggs, B. J. F. 1995.
• The contribution of flood disturbance, catchment geology and land use to
the habitat template of periphyton in stream ecosystems. Freshw. Biol.
33:419–38.
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