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Red Tide Research Papers

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If you walked along St. Petersburg Beach, Florida in the last four months, chances are you smelled the unpleasant odor of decaying fish caused by red tide. Red tide is produced by a harmful algae bloom from basic aquatic vegetation that has harmful effects on sea life and humans. Although scientists know what causes red tide, they do not know how to stop their effects. The phenomenon of red tide warrants further research to find a solid solution for its deadly affects that kill numerous fish, shellfish, mammals, birds, and bring illness to humans (Florida Red Tide FAQs, 2016). Red tide, by definition, is a toxic algae bloom in seawater that causes discoloration of the water, illness or death to many coastal animals, and can make people sick (Raloff, 2005). To be more specific, red tide is a more common name for “high concentrations of harmful marine alga, Karenia brevis” (Pierce & Henry, 2008). The Karenia Brevis toxin, named after Dr. Karen Steidinger, makes itself into mostly fish, but sometimes other vertebrates and can affects their central nervous system (Raloff, 2005). When a red tide occurs, it turns Florida’s beautiful Gulf beaches into a foul smelling area, littered with hundreds of rotting sea creatures. …show more content…

Scientists know the causes and harmful effects on not only the marine ecosystem, but also the community and economy of that area. Further research time should be spent on how to stop sea plants from rapidly producing K. Brevis toxins. In addition, there needs to be more research on how to control red tide first, and then move to finding out how to eradicate it. Scientists should also look into the sea life exposed to red tide; like, what in the Karenia Brevis toxin kills them and why? Can you develop something to make sea creatures immune to red tide? Finally, research should be done on if red tide blooms could overall worsen in the decades to

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