Red tide speakers from Mote Marine discuss new developments in the field of study
Red tide has been in the Boca Grande spotlight for years. Exciting research on its causes, its weaknesses and its potential control may one day change its image from that of a plague, to being an interesting natural phenomenon that simply needs to be managed effectively. We aren’t there yet, but, thanks to the research by Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of South Florida and others, there is a possibility of a future in which red tide can be dealt with and tolerated.
The Barrier Island Parks Society recently hosted its annual red tide forum, shining a spotlight on the research. The forum featured three scientists who have dedicated much of their lives to finding ways of making the occurrence of red tide in the Gulf of Mexico less problematic to the people of Southwest Florida and beyond.
The conclusion of the forum was that much research is going on now to lessen the damage caused by red tide. This research is finding promising outcomes, but it will likely be another year before anything significant will be concluded or implemented. This is actually a bright spot, the speakers noted, since it shows true progress and a relatively short time frame for real breakthroughs to be achieved.
The speakers were Dr. Cynthia Heil, Senior Scientist and Director of the Mote Marine Red Tide Institute; Dr. Richard Pierce, Associate Vice President for Research, Program Manager for Ecotoxicology Research Program, and Senior Scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory; and Distinguished University Professor Emeritus Dr. Robert Weisberg, physical oceanographer, retired from the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science.
All three speakers made it clear that red tide is not caused by human activity or by weather occurrences, but is made worse and more harmful to humans and other living creatures by our actions, among other causes.
Heil’s research focuses on the monitoring and mitigation of Florida red tide, as well as the ecology and management of marine and freshwater harmful algal blooms (H, nutrients and water quality. She explained that Mote is in the fifth year of a six-year project to study ways to mitigate the effects of red tide in the Gulf of Mexico. Those studies are showing promising results in eliminating the harmful algal blooms experienced in Southwest Florida.
She said the fundamental approach Mote and its Red Tide Institute have taken is “Do no harm.” That means the work must be done extremely carefully to make sure there are no harmful unexpected outcomes in the process of lessening the harm already being done by red tide.
“We don’t want to make things worse,” she said, acknowledging that unintended consequences can happen if great care is not taken at every step of the process. “This takes a lot of scientific research.,”
She said they are using a three-tiered approach. The first tier is testing potential solutions in a laboratory. The next tier brings that same concept to a contained environment. Finally, the third tier is to test the idea in the field. Her scientists are working with a number of other agencies and groups to find an answer to red tide. “It is a very collaborative process,” she said.
The second speaker was Dr. Richard Pierce, who studies the immediate effect of toxic substances on individual organisms and species in food webs, with the ultimate aim of predicting effects on wildlife populations, ecosystems and on human food resources, such as fish and shellfish. His studies have uncovered some potential biological or chemical substances that may be helpful in reducing the harmful impacts of red tide.
These include such things as a “bioactive substances” such as curcumin, which is found in the spice tumeric. Other compounds appear to have an effect on red tide algae. Like with various types of medicine for the body, it may take a combination of substances to eliminate the negative aspects of red tide. As part of his research he has been using private sector companies. Such technology sharing with the private sector may lead to practical solutions, and may even result in private companies spinning off new industries where the government need not be so involved. There may also be some instances in which solutions that have been developed for such things as oil spills may prove useful in dealing with red tide.
The third speaker was Dr. Robert Weisberg. His work has focused largely on the water circulation in the Gulf, which may help create ways of mitigating red tide’s harmful effects, even if we cannot stop it from occurring. One significant result of his studies is the discovery that the algae that create red tide actually feed on dead fish, making it imperative that the dead fish be removed from the water as a way to limit its growth.
His studies as a physical oceanographer also look at the continental shelf surrounding the state and seem to hold some answers regarding the development of conditions making red tide more or less likely to be harmful.
All three speakers made it clear that red tide is not caused by human activity or by weather occurrences, but is made worse and more harmful to humans and other living creatures by our actions, among other causes.
