Ultrahigh-resolution 3D monitoring reveals sediment-derived plumes as algal bloom precursors

“The global intensification of harmful algal blooms severely compromises freshwater ecosystems, threatening biodiversity and critical ecosystem services through toxin exposure, hypoxia, and water quality degradation. Bloom formation involves a complex interplay of nutrient dynamics, hydrology, and microbial activity. Although subsurface processes—such as the release of sediment-bound nutrients and the germination of dormant cyanobacteria—are thought crucial to bloom initiation, these phenomena occur at fine spatiotemporal scales beyond the reach of conventional monitoring. As a result, the exact, rapidly evolving triggers of bloom emergence remain mostly unknown. Here we show meter-scale chlorophyll a (Chl-a) plumes rising from the sediment–water interface, triggered by heavy rainfall and directly seeding surface blooms. We captured these dynamics using a custom underwater drone that collected over 2.8 million data points at 5-m horizontal and 1-m vertical resolution. Algal blooms exhibit a clear vertical sequence: anomalous Chl-a levels first appear in deep benthic layers after rainfall-driven resuspension, then intensify simultaneously across near-bed depths, and finally reach the surface after a median lag of 0.8–1.5 days. These observations provide in situ evidence associating benthic algal seed stocks with surface bloom initiation, revealing that the origin and spatial heterogeneity of such events arise from rainfall-driven disturbances at the sediment–water interface. This robotic approach not only deciphers the subsurface origins of algal blooms but also empowers predictive modeling and adaptive management strategies, advancing global efforts to combat eutrophication amid escalating climate pressures and safeguard vital water resources.”

(Citation: Peng Xiao, Congchao Zhang, Yu Tao, Tiefu Xu, Ying Chen, Lian Feng, Lingchao Kong, Zhidan Wen, Weibin Zheng, Hao Xu, Longxin Guo, Hangyu Guo, Zheng Pang, Zhiling Li, Chuan He, Shujie Xu, Kaishan Song, Jie Feng, Zhugen Yang, Shu-Chien Hsu, Chunmiao Zheng, Aijie Wang, Dragan Savic, Nanqi Ren, – Ultrahigh-resolution 3D monitoring reveals sediment-derived plumes as algal bloom precursors – Environmental Science and Ecotechnology 26(2026)100652 – https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ese.2025.100652 – (Open Access))

© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.