Aureococcus anophagefferens: Causes and ecological consequences of brown tides in U.S. mid‐Atlantic coastal waters

Abstract

Aureococcus anophagefferens is a picoplankionic alga that since 1985 has bloomed in coastal embayments of the western mid‐Atlantic, ranging from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, to Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, with greatest incidence of recurrence in Long Island bays, New York. Blooms of this small alga, referred to as “brown tide,” can persist for several months during late spring and summer at densities in excess of 1.0×106 cells ml−1. They are not associated with anomalous chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, or inorganic macronutrient (N, P) levels. Meterologically induced reduced flushing rates, elevated salinities, and delivery of micronutrients (e.g. iron) from the watershed have been implicated in bloom initiation. Brown tides have had severe detrimental effects on the benthos, especially eelgrass (Zostera marina) and suspension‐feeding bivalves, including bay scallops (Argopecten irradians) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis). Adult bivalves experience sublethal effects (e.g. inhibition of clearance rates) at Aureococcus concentrations as low as ∼2×105 cells ml−1 and mortalities at ∼106 cells ml−1, attributed to toxicity of this microalga. Impacts of brown tide on zooplankton are less clear, but reduced egg production rates of copepods and reduced population growth rates of ciliates are documented at higher brown tide concentrations (≥1.0×106 cells ml−1). We summarize the state of knowledge about the physical, chemical, and biological factors that may contribute to brown tide initiation, maintenance, and decline and assess its ecological effects.

LISST‐100 measurements of phytoplankton size distribution: evaluation of the effects of cell shape

“…Examples include blooms of HAB species such as Karenia breve and L. polyedra in coastal waters and blooms of the genus Peridinium in lakes (Horne et al 1971, Pollingher 1986). Nearly monospecific blooms have been also documented for other taxonomic groups including diatoms (Crawford 1995), brown tide algae (Bricelj and Lonsdale 1997), and prysemnophytes (Lancelot et al 1998).…”

Ocean urea fertilization for carbon credits poses high ecological risks

“…1; Solomon 2006). A. anophagefferens forms harmful algal blooms in temperate, rather than tropical, coastal waters (e.g., Berg et al 1997, Bricelj andLonsdale 1997), but related species form harmful blooms in coastal lagoons along the Gulf of Mexico, indicating a potential threat of such "brown tides" in warmer coastal ecosystems (Buskey et al 2001). Also common in tropical and subtropical regions are the cyanobacteria Trichodesmium spp., which fix nitrogen gas and contribute significantly to the biological nitrogen budget of the oceans (e.g.…”

Sources, factors, mechanisms and possible solutions to pollutants in marine ecosystems

“…The occurrence, abundance and geographical distribution of toxin-producing algae or cyanobacterial blooms have substantially increased during the last few decades, because of increased anthropogenic input of organic matter pollution and nutrients as well as global warming (Van Dolah, 2000;Phlips et al, 2004;Yan and Zhou, 2004;Glibert et al, 2005;Luckas et al, 2005;McCarthy et al, 2007;Moore et al, 2008;Mostofa et al, 2013bMostofa et al, , 2013d. Algal toxins or red tide toxins produced during algal blooms in surface waters are responsible for physiological, ecological and environmental adverse effects (Hayman et al, 1992;Falconer, 1993;Bricelj and Lonsdale, 1997;Pilotto et al, 1999;Glibert et al, 2001;Fleming et al, 2005;Imai et al, 2006;Álvarez-Salgado et al, 2007;Backer et al, 2005Backer et al, , 2008Erdner et al, 2008;Imai and Kimura, 2008;Moore et al, 2008;Prince et al, 2008;Sekiguchi and Aksornkoae, 2008;Castle and Rodgers Jr., 2009;Yates and Rogers 2011;Mostofa et al, 2013bMostofa et al, , 2013d):…”