On Sat, 23 Oct 1999, Larry Bliven wrote: > do the articles suggest a cause of the red tides? Hi Larry, I just send them as they appear. But the causes of algae blooms are basically what you would expect: Favorable conditions for multiplication of the l'il critters. Warmer water, lots of nutrients, minerals they like. Algae blooms, and especially HAB's (harmful algae blooms) have increased a lot in recent years globally. Usually this is attributed to global warming affecting the coasts, where they are located, runoff of fertilizers, etc. HAB's have caused major kills of wild and farmed fish, kills of birds, manatees, seals, and of course illness or death of people through consumption of accumulated toxins in shellfish, mostly. Major categories: DSP, ASP, PSP ( diarrhetic, amnesic, paralytic shellfish poisoning), ciguatera, and the new kids on the block, Pfiesteria and relatives. HAB's of hepatotoxic freshwater cyanobacteria ("blue-green algae") are also increasing. In many cases, toxin production seems to be associated with, and maybe caused by, bacteria living in close relationship with the algae. That may explain why some species of algae have gotten to be toxic, or more toxic, than they had been, and why "new" toxins continue to be discovered. The capacity of bacteria for rapid evolution is marvelous to behold. e Elaine Harmon - eilidh_at_dc.seflin.org - eharmon_at_cs.miami.edu *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sat Oct 23 1999 - 09:02:20 PDT
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