In 2015, a remarkably high density bloom of Alexandrium minutum occurred in Sungai Geting, a semi-enclosed lagoon situated in the northeast of Peninsular Malaysia, causing severe discoloration and contaminated the benthic clams (Polymesoda). Plankton and water samples were collected to investigate the mechanisms of bloom development of this toxic species. Analysis of bloom samples using flow cytometry indicated that the bloom was initiated by the process of active excystment, as planomycetes (>4C cells) were observed in the early stage of the bloom. Increase in planozygotes (2C cells) was evident during the middle stage of the bloom, coinciding with an abrupt decrease in salinity and increase of temperature. The bloom was sustained through the combination of binary division of vegetative cells, division of planozygotes, and cyst germination through continuous excystment. Nutrient depletion followed by precipitation subsequently caused the bloom to terminate. This study provides the first continuous record of in situ life-cycle stages of a natural bloom population of A. minutum through a complete bloom cycle. The event has provided a fundamental understanding of the pelagic life-cycle stages of this tropical dinoflagellate, and demonstrated a unique bloom development characteristic shared among toxic Alexandrium species in coastal embayments.

2015年，位于马来西亚半岛东北部的半封闭泻湖Sungai Geting发生了极高密度的亚历山大藻绽放，造成了严重的变色并污染了底栖蛤（（Polymesoda）。收集了浮游生物和水样，以研究该有毒物种开花的机理。使用流式细胞仪分析水华样品表明水华是由主动囊泡过程引发的，因为在水华的早期阶段观察到了浮游植物（> 4C细胞）。在开花的中间阶段，平植体（2C细胞）的增加是明显的，这与盐度的突然降低和温度的升高相吻合。营养细胞的二元分裂，扁桃体分裂和通过持续囊泡发芽的囊肿萌发相结合，从而持续开花。养分枯竭，随后发生降水，随后使开花停止。这项研究提供了第一个连续的原位记录一个完整的开花周期中的A. minutum自然开花种群的生命周期阶段。这次活动提供了对这种热带鞭毛藻的浮游生命周期阶段的基本了解，并展示了沿海浮游生物中有毒亚历山大藻物种共有的独特的花开发育特征。