Red Tide
Red tide is an estuarine or marine algal bloom and is caused by a species of dinoflagellates, often present in sufficient numbers to turn the water red or brown. The species responsible for red tides on the gulf coast of Florida is a dinoflagellate called Karenia brevis. It produces brevetoxins which produce respiratory irritation in humans.
Coastal water pollution produced by humans and systematic increase in sea water temperature appear to be causal factors in red tides. On the Pacific Coast of the U.S. there have been apparent increases in the occurrence of red tides since about 1991.
September 30, 2006 9:07 AM | Category: Watershed