Diseases that may affect humans include: Show description Hide This Alexandrium species can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Image taken by David Patterson and Bob Andersen, provided courtesy of the microscope website. Show description Hide This Dinophysis species can cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. Image taken by Mona Hoppenrath, courtesy of the microscope website. Technological advancements such as satellite imagery have allowed scientists to better track and monitor harmful algal blooms.
Tracking and monitoring red tide algae helps reduce harmful effects of the algae by providing warnings against eating infected shellfish and against swimming in infected waters. Finally, researchers are attempting to develop an antidote to the red tide toxins.
Interestingly, while developing such anti-toxins, researchers have found a possible cystic fibrosis more info treatment. Show credits Hide Photo by Miriam Godfrey. General Collection Resources such as news articles, web sites, and reference pages provide a comprehensive array of information about red tide and other harmful algal blooms.
This water, called runoff , eventually flows into the ocean and can cause algae to grow faster, leading to red tides. Nutrient-filled water, called runoff, can flow into lakes and oceans, contributing to algal blooms such as red tides. However, certain farming practices can reduce the amount of runoff that flows into streams and rivers, thus helping to prevent red tides.
Red tides are sometimes also called harmful algal blooms. Some of the algae that causes a red tide produce powerful toxins, which are harmful chemicals that can kill fish, shellfish, mammals and birds.
If people eat fish or shellfish that have been in the water with toxic algae, they will also ingest the toxins, which can make them sick.
Many regions restrict fishing during a red tide for this reason. Nearby restaurants take local fish and shellfish off the menu, too.
Other types of harmful algal blooms are caused by nontoxic algae species that still make trouble. For example, when giant masses of algae bloom, they eventually die and start to decompose. As they decay, the oxygen levels in the water begin to decrease. Most blooms last three to five months and affect hundreds of square miles, but they can continue sporadically for as long as 18 months, affecting thousands of square miles.
Prior to the early s, red tides in Florida were believed to originate inshore because blooms and respiratory irritation were most often observed first around passes and barrier islands. We now know that Florida's red tides begin in nutrient-poor water 18 to 74 kilometers 11 to 46 miles offshore. Blooms develop in four stages.
The initiation stage occurs when a K. During the second stage, growth, the population steadily increases. Within a few weeks, K. If the bloom moves inshore, nutrient runoff from land may promote bloom expansion. A bloom can linger in coastal areas for days, weeks or even months.
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