Causes and Effects of Red Tides free essay sample

The Sea Runs Red Golden sand rolls away and far into the distance under a breathtakingly blue sky and a joyfully radiant sun. The soothing voice of the surf reaches out groping tendrils to wash away worries. Shrill cries of seagulls interrupt the placidity while somehow adding to it as well. All in all, it is almost perfect. Almost. There is something wrong, something amiss. My gaze critically examines the beach once more, passing over birds toddling over undisturbed sand and rocks just peeking out of the blood red waves. Nothing seemed out of order. Wait blood red waves? Desperately believing it was a trick of the light, I scrutinized the sea once more. Sure enough, the ocean was a consternating shade of scarlet. So what is this amazing phenomenon? A red tide, also known as a harmful algae bloom. The red coloring in the waves is produced by a sudden spike in the population of ocean dwelling microscopic plants. We will write a custom essay sample on Causes and Effects of Red Tides or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The seaworthy topic is an ongoing argument between scientists. There is no determined origin, no established treatment, and the effects are devastating to both human and marine life. Something must be done to deal with this serious issue. The exact cause of this natural phenomenon is still being debated; however, there are many ideas floating around. At a 2006 national red tide forum covered by Naples Daily News most of these notions were discussed. There are 24 theories about where red tide comes from: Seven focus on rainfall and river runoff, six focus on substances on the ocean floor, seven focus on substances in the water column and hydrodynamics, and four are chemically based. (Ochoa) Red tides usually occur after long periods of heavy rainfall and can thicken the water to a syrupy consistency and cut off the water’s oxygen supply (Description). It has been proved that substances released from the sea floor do not cause red tides (West). A water column is a conceptual column of water from surface to bottom sediments used chiefly for environmental studies. It is thought by many scientists that these ‘columns’ stir nutrients and other things up every spring and thus cause the harmful algae blooms (Sellner). The last four theories are chemically based, which is just a long list of experiments explaining the chemical properties of everything that has been explained already. The sea is often polluted by agricultural runoff and human sewage which is where the chemical based theories can come into play. A chemist explaining this would probably throw many scientific terms that normal people would not understand and mean that the nitrogen in the frigid waters increases and in turn raises the reproduction rate of the plants. The effects on marine life are sometimes calamitous. When the water runs red, shellfish are generally unaffected. However, they are constantly filtering water through themselves and the toxins from the water collects in their flesh. They become poisonous. These contaminated shellfish are then eaten by the fish in the sea, which cannot handle the poison thereby resulting in massive fish massacres. With hungry birds at the beach and poisoned, dead fish on the shore, it becomes a feeding frenzy of death. The now dead birds and fish and shellfish kill larger animals as well. According to Larry West there are many examples of marine life being affected. During 1991 in California’s Monterey Bay over one hundred pelicans were found dead after eating contaminated anchovies (West). In 1996 in Florida over one hundred fifty manatees, which happens to be ten percent of this critically endangered species, were found dead as a result of a toxic food supply and of toxins released into the air (West). In Cape Cod, Massachusetts fourteen humpback whales were found dead in a single month from toxic mackerel (West). There are also many effects of red tides on human health and the economy. The contaminated food and water can cause many problems when ingested. These problems include various types of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and neurological disorders. They often develop rapidly and are characterized by severe symptoms including diarrhea, vomiting, and dizziness. Most illnesses pass quickly, but some are fatal. The economy is affected quite a bit as well. Coastal communities usually rely heavily on tourism. Dead fish wash up on the sand, which is unappealing; shellfish warnings ward off the usual fishermen, and tourists fall ill and warn others of their fate. Fishing operations go downhill during a red tide as well because shellfish beds are closed, toxins contaminate fish, and charter boats receive numerous cancellations. During the 1970’s and 1980’s 15 to 25 million dollars were lost due to three different algae blooms. Because of inflation that amount would range from 90 million to 150 million today. All solutions for this toxic problem are in their experimental stages. One such remedy is called clay flocculation. This probable cure consists of spreading a thin layer of clay particles over an infected body of water. The bacteria causing the red tide will then stick to the bits of clay and sink to the bottom where they will then collect with other grains of silt. However, this treatment is very controversial. Scientists have proven that things are fragile on the bottom of the sea (Ochoa). This layer of toxic dirt can kill shellfish and other organisms which disrupts the ecosystem of the ocean. Many experiments have been conducted on this subject and are constantly growing in size. This treatment has been attempted in a few places that are commonly affected by red tides. Scientists are not sure whether this method would cause more harm than good as of yet. The natural phenomenon of red tides is an unnerving and mystical thing. By day the water shows red as blood, by night it glows a luminescent and electric blue. Rotting fish and decaying birds take over the once smooth sand. No sound but the harsh crashing of bitterly crimson waves break the apprehensive silence. This formerly serene haven has been transformed into an horrid battleground between microscopic plants boosted by human pollution and the fragile coastal community. Though harmful algae blooms do occur naturally, their growing frequency is at the fault of humans. If a cure for this disease of the sea is not found then the coast will no longer be a vacation destination, it will be a dumping ground for this ferocious plague’s victims.