Pandemic has good effects on ecology despite losses

‘Air quality improves’

KUWAIT CITY, May 4: Despite the many negative effects left by the emerging coronavirus, this pandemic has left behind some good environmental phenomena, starting with the improvement of air quality, through flourishing of organisms in the land and marine environments, and the spread of brown algae along the southern coast of the country, reports AlRai daily.

Dr. Mohammed Al-Sayegh, who holds a doctorate on environment, told Al-Rai “these multi-cellular algae begin to flourish between January and July, under appropriate weather and physical, chemical and climatic factors which are necessary for their growth.”

He pointed out the quantities of algae scattered these days are considered a record for this year, and the reason may be the partial curfew, as the human element has been cut off from the beaches, islands and continental shelf, which gave the marine and coastal environment an exceptional opportunity to complete its natural cycle.

Regarding the importance of algae in nature, the Al-Sayegh said the marine algae are of various types, as it constitutes a very important food source for various living marine organisms, the most important of which are small shrimp, in addition to that it mainly contributes to the production of oxygen, which benefits the oxygen-dissolved water reservoir, helping marine life to thrive.

He pointed out that “algae in Kuwait is divided into three types: brown, green and red”, considering that the presence of marine algae in this form and quantity is a very good indicator of the health of coral reefs and the organisms in which they live, especially shrimp, which may witness exceptional prosperity this season because of the ban and coronavirus.

Algae on beaches