12/13/2023 0 Comments Red tide graph![]() However, the Tropical Storm Gordon brought the much-needed relief by helping push the algae away from Southwest Florida’s coastline – though scientists warn that it may be only temporary. Although algae blooms have been known for centuries, there are no scientific inventions to stop or control the blooms. The toxic bloom in Florida is still ongoing. What Can Be Done About Red Tides In Florida? Bloom of Karenia brevis using Sentinel-3 #OLCI Enhanced Color satellite imagery. “ As water temperatures remain persistently warm for longer periods, the likelihood of harmful blooms becomes greater”, states the UN Environment nutrient pollution expert Christopher Cox. Warming sea waters brought on by climate change also have a positive influence on phytoplankton proliferation. The rest runs off into the environment, entering streams and eventually the sea. Since the easily available nitrogen and phosphorus are a quick feed for both crops we eat and the algae in our seas, algae take advantage of this enormous influx of food to increase their numbers greatly. Unabsorbed fertilizer washes away from the fields – it is estimated that less than half of the nutrient formula is actually used up by the crops. The Karenia brevis bloom expanded and intensified in late-July. Farmers continue to add more and more synthetic fertilizers to the often-depleted soils in order to reach higher yields – more than half of the fertilizer ever applied to global agricultural fields has been put in there in the last 30 years. Why Have Florida Red Tides Gotten More Severe?Īs with most of the algae blooms all over the world, the main reason for the increase is the overuse of commercial fertilizersin the crop fields on land. Large-scale agriculture and chemical fertilizer use have boomed since the 1950s – the same time when algae bloom events got more severe. Low levels of oxygen cause additional mortality in animals. That is why all shellfish farms have to close during the red tide events. Additionally, when the short-lived algae die and decompose, the process leads to oxygen depletion of the water. Shellfish can accumulate brevetoxins, and individuals who eat them can end up with Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning. ![]() When waves brake open algae cells, toxins become airborne and cause respiratory issues and eye irritation in humans. Karenia brevis produces toxins called brevetoxins, which are capable of killing fish, birds, turtles and even big sea mammals such as dolphins and manatees. The name comes from water discoloration that occurs when algae multiply to such high concentrations. Although there are many species of algae that cause harmful blooms, the best known and most aggressive algae species is Karenia brevis– a red plankton algae that thrives in high-salinity areas and easily outcompetes other species of algae. The Red tid e phenomenon is caused by the huge and swift proliferation of microscopic algae in the sea water. Many people complain about respiratory issues related to the bloom, and unsurprisingly – tourism has suffered as well. The severity of 2018 red tide is not an isolated incident, but it continues to be a pattern of increasing intensity and duration of the bloom which has been going on since the 1950s. More than 260 tons of marine life, including thousands of fish, a hundred manatees, a dozen dolphins, and hundreds of sea turtles– all have washed up dead along 150 miles of the Gulf Coast. This year’s red tide is so severe that it has forced the state to declare a state of emergency. occurred in the Gulf along the West Florida Shelf. However, not all red tides are of the same intensity. In 1844, the first scientifically documented red tide episode in the U.S. Coastal algae bloom – the “Red tide” – is a common occurrence on Florida’s Gulf coast. Red tides were first recorded in the 16th century when Spanish explorers heard stories about the “red water” that resulted in fish and bird mortality, told by Florida Indians.
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