Research Areas > Nutrients > Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
Research Area: Harmful Algal Blooms in Coastal Waters
At the base of the food chain in most freshwater and marine systems are phytoplankton (single-celled microscopic algae or cyanobacteria) that provide organic matter and energy to higher trophic levels. Algal blooms are said to occur when there is a significant increase in phytoplankton cells. If an algal bloom negatively impacts the environment, human health and/or coastal economies (such as aquaculture, fisheries, and tourism), it is called a harmful algal bloom (HAB).
SCCWRP Research
Research at SCCWRP focuses on providing more comprehensive spatial and temporal monitoring coverage of HAB events in order to:
• Understand what factors can trigger blooms and, more specifically, toxin production.
• Improve knowledge-sharing and capacity for HABs response among local groups.
• Enable an early warning system for impending phytoplankton blooms.
Aerial image of a Lingulodinium polyedrum bloom in San Diego, otherwise known as "red tide." Photo courtesy of Eddie Kisfaludy, University of California, San Diego, Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
SCCWRP participates in west coast monitoring of HABs as part of larger national and regional efforts. One monitoring effort is concentrated on the San Pedro Shelf (the offshore area located south of the San Pedro Peninsula), which combines 1) an in situ sensor networking with cutting-edge phytoplankton species identification methods, 2) domoic acid (a chemical indicator sometimes associated with HABs) quantification, and 3) remote sensing technology to monitor HABs. Another monitoring effort is tied into SCCWRP’s 2008 Southern California Bight (SCB) Regional Monitoring Program. This monitoring effort aims to characterize the prevalence and dynamics of HAB blooms throughout the whole SCB, and to identify the sources of nutrients associated with these blooms.
HAB research projects include:
This page was last updated on: 8/23/2010