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HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AS INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM CONDITION
Citation:
Greene, R M. AND J C. Kurtz. HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS AS INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM CONDITION. Presented at Gulf of Mexico Symposium 2000, Mobile, AL, April 10-13, 2000.
Description:
There are approximately 40 species of microalgae inhabiting coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico that produce or potentially can produce biotoxins that negatively impact aquatic ecosystems, human health, and local economics. While nutrient enrichment and reduced water quality may contribute to some harmful and nuisance algal blooms, bloom initiating and proliferating factors remain poorly defined. Increases in population size, human activities, and nutrient loadings over the last few decades are correlated with the increased number, extent and severity of harmful and nuisance algal blooms. Although harmful and nuisance algal blooms are thought to be a consequence of poor ecosystem condition, they also may be a primary cause of aquatic disease, mortality, and degraded ecosystem health. Knowledge of susceptible ecosystems and conditions conducive to harmful and nuisance algal blooms is lacking, yet critical to our ability to understand bloom biology and dynamics. As is the case for natural disasters, federal, state and local agencies need impreoved capabilities to monitor, track, and predict harmful algal blooms in order to minimize or avoid ecological, economic and human health impacts. Advanced technologies that provide in situ, real-time monitoring of multiple biological, physical, chemical, and optical parameters may provide an effective approach both for understanding ecosystem conditions and eventually forecasting bloom events.