Toxin-producing plankton may act as a biological control for planktonic blooms - Field study and mathematical modelling

Termination of planktonic blooms is of great importance to human health, ecosystem, environment, tourism and fisheries. Toxic substances released by plankton play an important role in this context. The effect of toxin-producing plankton (TPP) on zooplankton is observed from the field-collected samples and mathematical modelling. Information from both the studies led us to suggest that TPP may terminate the planktonic blooms by decreasing the grazing pressure of zooplankton and thus acts as a biological control. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.