The red tide – or Karenia brevis – is a pretty scary thing.
We previously told you about a manatee that was rescued from the Red Tide.
The algal bloom phenomenon hasn’t been easy to explain, but now a lengthy study by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is inching closer.
The FWC just published the results of their study in the Gulf of Mexico which was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
Here’s what they found out:
Kaernia brevis pulls nutrients from different sources, including algal blooms and the decaying fish that die during those blooms.
There are certain physical, chemical, and biological factors that lead to a bloom of Karenia brevis. The study presented ways to effectively manage the blooms through forecasts and nutrient reduction strategies.
This is a big step toward understanding the phenomenon.
“To obtain a comprehensive understanding of red tides in the Gulf of Mexico, we really needed to collaborate with experts across the many fields of marine science, as well as study variations in bloom conditions from year to year,” research scientist Matt Garrett explained. “We were able to put together the big picture of these blooms, which are clearly affected by the physics, chemistry and biology in the ocean.”
For more information on red tide, visit MyFWC.com/Research and select “Red Tide” or read more about the study from The Star.