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Red Tides Research Paper

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Although many Karenia species have been described as of yet, K. brevis blooms move based on winds and tides; pinpointing a red tide at specific moment is difficult. Algal blooms can occur at any time of year, but usually increase between September and February. K. brevis is the main producer of brevetoxin, which is a powerful toxin. It has killed millions of marine organisms, and mostly occurred in gulfs and coast. It happened in the Gulf of Mexico primarily, especially on the Western Gulf coastal area of Florida. Although uncommon, it occurred in other parts of the Gulf as well, such as the Texas coast and Indian River Lagoon on the Atlantic coast of Florida. The reasons for red tides are not completely clear, and bloom dynamics, include …show more content…

Preventive measures attempt to stop blooms from occurring, minimize their incidence or limit their extent. The most effective way to prevent adverse health effects to humans from the red tides is to prevent exposure to the toxins and organisms. Lowering the amount of nutrients that are discharged into local watersheds is a top priority for prevention advocates that engage in red tide debates. Reduced nutrient loads will improve water quality throughout watersheds, in addition to lowering the intensity of terrestrial fluxes when a red tide is in close proximity to the coastline. Reduced loads may or may not lead to a discernible change in red tide patterns, but they will certainly improve the health of local watersheds. An important issue that prevention advocates need to consider, however, is the modalities of reducing nutrient loads and the most appropriate venues for affecting change. The major sources of local water quality impairment includes domestic and industrial wastewater, urban and suburban stormwater, agricultural runoff and hydrological changes. Local water quality problems could be associated with domestic and industrial point sources but stricter regulatory controls and new wastewater treatment technologies have substantially reduced pollution from these sources. Non-point sources now account for most of the water quality problems in the state with urban stormwater and agricultural runoff being the primary concerns. And unlike point source discharges, non-point sources are difficult to measure, monitor and control. In the case of NSP, this means monitoring shellfish beds for organisms and toxins as well as closing shellfish beds to harvest when specified levels are detected. When aerosolized red tide reach specific levels, water and air monitoring can detect high levels in the air, and cause respiratory

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