South Australia’s marine algal bloom is still killing almost everything in its path

Southern Australian beaches are foamy, colorless water and Dead Sea Life for months. The problem did not go; spread.

The destructive death and demolition scenes mobilized the locals along the Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. The state government hosted emergency meetingsWith the latest Marine and Environmental Experts From all over Australia and published Weekly updates.

Unfortunately there is A few ways to stop flower. Scientists hoped that the strong Western winds would break it and push it into the sea. But so far, the wild air pushed him out of the mouth of Murray To Coorong. And even if the flowering was washed this winter, it can return in spring.

This represents a sharp warning for coastal communities as well as flowering, tourism, seafood and aquaculture industries. A sign of what will happen in Australia and the world, the oceans are warm.

An unprecedented algae flower

The first problem sign is in March this year, dozens of Surfers and beaches became ill. Many of them reported the problem of painful eyes, coughing or breathing.

Water test soon The reason revealed: Karenia Mikimotoi’s harmful algae flowering.

Most people felt better in the hours or days they left the beach. But all kinds of sea life was dead or dying.

Fish Habitat Charity Ozfish a new Citizen Science Project Capturing data, using stubbornness.

Ozfish Sa Project Manager Brad Martin Told to a public forum Bloom was like a “underwater forest fire”: “Fish drowns, removes oxygen out of the water and produces toxins.”

Photographs of dead fish, seafarers, octopuses and rays are already circulating on social media. Ozfish encouraged people to define species and begin to capture data.

. Shows data More than 200 marine species, including 100 types of fish and sharks, have died. This includes popular entertainment types such as Flathead, squid, crabs and rock lobsters.

Almost half of the deaths were beam -fins fish species. Quarter sharks and beam species. Later, the soft -bodied “cephalopods” such as ink and octopus, and crustaceans such as crabs, lobster and shrimp came.

Most of these species live with small home intervals on the base or near the sea. As with a forest fire, there are very few chances of escaping. Whiting, Snapper and tuna, such as other fish living in the ocean can swim.

Guilty

K. Mikimotoi is a kind of microalg. CT Uses sunlight And carbon dioxide release oxygen to grow and divide.

In calm conditions, algae cells are rapidly divided with plenty of light and temperature. Ideal conditions for algae growth become more common as climate changes and at sea temperature.

Algae toxins are known to cause disease and sometimes death. people– pet And livestock.

K. Mikimotoi, not to people, is deadly to sea life. However, toxic effects in marine life have not been complex and weak.

Moss irritates Fish gillsto cause cell death and bleeding. It also why hypoxiaOr lack of oxygen in the blood. And when the algae dies, the separation consumes large amounts of oxygen – saves sea life for drowning.

Scientists now suspect that other Karenia species can be included, because breetoxins Shellfish seafood. This is the first detection of breetoxins in Australia.

What can be done?

A sea of ​​sea heat is largely accused. Sea surface temperatures have been 2.5 ° C warmer than normal since September. With small winds and small swelling, relatively calm conditions also allowed to bloom. Now it is a matter of waiting for the powerful western winds to blow up all of them.

The latest update shows that sea surface temperatures are stabilized. However, deeper gulf and shelf juices remain above the average of 1-2 ° C for this time of the year.

Climate change It makes future flowers more likely. It is a way to help fighting climate change.

Another is to minimize the flow of nutrients into waterways. Microalgations can be found anywhere with sufficient water, lights and nutrients. This can help reduce pollution Reduce the risk Alga Blooms.

This includes better management in farms and home gardens. Lower food levels like nitrogen and phosphorus It will reduce the risk of future flowering in sea and inner waterways.

When it comes to blue-green algae, washing With fresh water and mixing, you can distribute colonies and prevent a blooming.

Monitoring is also important. Ozfish encourages Southern Australians to continue to give photography reports through stubbornness. There should be any new fish killing reported to the state government.

Microalgies are not all bad

It is worth remembering that life in the world does not exist without microalg. These small organisms were produced 60% of oxygen Today, it plays an important role in the atmosphere and in balanced ecosystems.

Moss Spirulina It is a widespread diet supplement. Micricals are also potentially useful. water recycling, renewable biofuel And Catching and storage greenhouse gases.

Pay attention to lessons

When a harmful algae blooms, the conditions will continue as long as they remain appropriate.

This flower already took three months and there is no guarantee that the end is close.

Healing will be slow, historical record And other parts of the world. And the risk of incident is high again.

More research is needed to keep these ancient organisms under control.

This article has been re -published here. Speech Creative under license. Read original article.