What is HAB?
HAB also known as Harmful Algal Bloom is one of the major contribution to environmental problem. HAB can be green,red or blue depends on the abundance of species that contributes it. However, It causes negative impact to other organism via production of toxins, cause health problems to human, effects the ecosystem and also deplete the economy growth.
Example of HAB:
The Red Tide
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| Red Tide |
Red Tide , a phenomenon which appears as great swathe of ominous rust-colored water in the ocean. This occurrence are the result of explosive growth and accumulation of certain microscopic algae species especially dinoflagelates. One of the species that had been reported as toxic algae include, Karenia brevis.
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Red Tide causes massive fish kill
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A mass kill of fish is a common result of Red Tide, the toxin produce causes problem to the respiratory system of the fish. Due to lack of oxygen and difficulties in breathing, the fish will die. Other effects include corrosive to the marine's creature skin. The toxin also not only effects the fish that had been contaminated, however, it also harms the live of those species which eats the contaminated fish along the food chain system. There were reports that confirmed from the autopsy of dead dolphins along the Florida ocean that the dolphins consumed contaminated fish with toxins from the red tide. This happens because dinoflagellates are the primary producer of the food chain system in aquatic life. Also, even without consuming the toxin, sea grass can as well be coated with the toxic algae and causes death to the manatee population.
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| A girl unable to swim due to the Red Tide |
Nevertheless, the most unfortunate thing that had also suffer from the Red Tide is the tourism industry. When the red tide hits the shore, it produced airborne toxin which causes respiratory and skin irritations. Thus, this effects both tourist and fishing fleets to abandon those areas. This situation, causes hardship for the economic growth.
How does it occur? Three main causes...
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| The sun |
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| Nutrient ( Nitrogen and Phosphorus) |
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| Slow moving water |
Why is HAB a bad impact?
- Mass mortality to the aquatic life in the ocean from the toxins
- Health problems to human such as difficulties in breathing and skin irritations
- negative growth impact towards the tourism industry which also effects the economy
- create dead zone in the water
- raise treatment cost for drinking water
- causes problems to life of fisherman while working
- effects the income of those who rely on the sea for living
- major pollution to the environment because some of the toxic can mix into the air
- decrease the aesthetic value of the ocean and environment.
Research done on HAB:
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