Algal bloom red tide algae9/14/2023 Part of Corpus Christi Bay where the author and his colleagues have collected water samples is seen here in August 2015, 1 month prior to the development of a harmful algal bloom. The common thread is that they are toxic to aquatic life as well as to people. Meanwhile, blooms of blue-green algae (which are actually cyanobacteria rather than algae) commonly occur in freshwater and saltwater settings. Red and brown tides, aptly named for the hues they contribute to coastal waters, are caused by certain algae species-such as Karenia brevis and Aureoumbra lagunensis along the gulf coastlines of Florida and Texas. HABs come in different varieties-and colors-and occur in both marine and freshwater settings. With their growing frequency, duration, size, and impact over the past 30–40 years, doing nothing to control them is not an option rather, it is becoming increasingly crucial that we establish HAB early-warning systems and response strategies to help safeguard communities today as well as future generations. In south Texas, where I live and conduct environmental research, HABs also are emerging more often along the Texas coast. HABs are also becoming more frequent and are occurring over larger areas, as in the coastal waters of the northern Beibu Gulf, China, where HABs have expanded from covering tens of square kilometers in the late 20th century to hundreds more recently. In South Korea, for example, HABs typically lasted less than a week in the 1980s, but since 1995, they have often lasted more than a month. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) appear to have escalated globally in recent decades. Yet some species produce compounds toxic to humans and wildlife, and at high enough concentrations, even species that are typically harmless can become harmful. Not all algae are hazardous-as a group, algae are, after all, nearly ubiquitous inhabitants of marine and freshwater environments. It is becoming increasingly crucial that we establish harmful algal bloom (HAB) early-warning systems and response strategies to help safeguard communities today as well as future generations. And in mid-July, residents were advised about possible blooms in Lake Micmac near Halifax, N. Shortly before those instances, similar warnings were issued for Red Bud Isle near Austin, Texas, and for Minnesota’s Lake Hiawatha and Lake Harriet. The same day, the Florida Department of Health in Orange County cautioned Orlando area residents not to drink from or swim, wade, or boat in waters with visible algal blooms in two of the city’s lakes. City officials had previously discontinued using water from the lake for drinking, and in response to MoDNR’s notice, they temporarily closed the lake to public recreation. More and more, however, they are having to cancel their plans, or at least stay out of the water, as reports come in from all over the United States and elsewhere warning of unwelcome summer visitors: algal blooms.Īmong numerous recent examples, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MoDNR) notified the city of Sedalia on 13 June of a potentially hazardous algal bloom in nearby Springfork Lake. It can also be dangerous for people if they consume shellfish that are contaminated with the toxins.With the annual emergence of summer heat, happy vacationers and weekenders are often eager to cool off at nearby lakes and beaches. Pseudo-nitzschia can be found year-round in Florida waters and produce a neurotoxin called domoic acid, which can kill or sicken marine mammals and birds. brevis usually blooms in the late summer or early fall, and large concentrations can discolor the water red or brown. The species that causes the most red tides in Florida and the Gulf of Mexico is called Karenia breves, or K. SPRING BREAKERS FACE RED TIDE THREAT IN FLORIDA Not only is that harmful to people and marine ecosystems, but local and regional economies may also suffer as a result. The blooms have been reported in every coastal state, and NOAA says the frequency of red tides has increased. Fanara with NOAA about what is Red Tide, how does it form, where does it form, the history of our blooms, and what we can do now. FOX Weather Correspondent Steve Bender talked with Dr. FL Gulf Coast beaches invaded by Red Tideįlorida Red Tide is killing Gulf Coast marine life and is also harmful to humans.
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