Fertilizer (for example, from home lawns and agricultural land).Levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen increase in water.Some strains can produce toxins, but so far there is no research to suggest harmful effects on wildlife or people in Florida.Many factors can help phytoplankton grow quickly, or bloom: Trichodesmium uses the iron in the nitrogen fixation process, according to the research institute. Sea sawdust tends to flare up between May and September when dust from the Sahara Desert crosses the Atlantic Ocean and brings iron with it. The Karenia brevis organism was detected in 30 samples at trace levels. As of Tuesday afternoon, state researchers had not detected red tide bloom concentrations over the past week of water samples throughout the entire gulf region. Red tide has waned offshore of Southwest Florida over the past several weeks, so for now, Trichodesmium doesn’t pose much of a threat. “It’s a very important (species) on this earth.” “It’s able to convert nitrogen into something that other plants are able to utilize,” Weisberg said. There are plenty of algae species in the middle of the gulf that are depleted of nitrogen, and Trichodesmium plays an important role in their survival, Weisberg said. “Not only does it help to feed red tide - it helps to shade it,” Weisberg said. It helps the toxic algae blooms in other ways, too: Red tide is sensitive under too much sunlight, but sea sawdust can also provide it with a haven of shade, according to Bob Weisberg, a physical oceanographer with the University of South Florida. That means the red tide-causing organism Karenia brevis can use the nitrogen created by sea sawdust to grow and spread. In a process called nitrogen fixation, Trichodesmium sucks nitrogen gas from the air and turns it into ammonia, an easy-to-access fuel for marine algae species.įlorida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute / Courtesy Florida water quality samplers detected "sea sawdust" blooms at Redington Beach and Sunset Beach over the past week, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. But Trichodesmium is special: It pulls most of its nitrogen from the atmosphere. Most of the algae species studied throughout the Gulf of Mexico are stymied by the limited amount of nitrogen in the water that the organisms need to feed. READ MORE: Worry over harmful algae blooms delays new Lake Okeechobee management plan Hubbard said it’s likely offshore of every county from Pinellas to Collier. Over the past week, water samples also detected the presence of sea sawdust in Manatee and Collier counties, according to the research institute. Now, the team is waiting for a clear sky this week to capture more aerial imagery and assess its location and size, Hubbard said. They found it on Redington Beach and Sunset Beach, according to the research institute. Hubbard’s team tests the water for Trichodesmium regularly, and biologists verified a bloom along the Pinellas coast on May 17 and again on May 19. “When you’re on the water, it pops out as something that looks different than really any other type of algae.” “It really stands out,” Hubbard said in an interview. From above, thick blooms can resemble oil slicks. Sea sawdust earns its nickname from the opaque, brownish hue it reflects as it gathers on the sea surface, according to Kate Hubbard, the director of the state’s Center for Red Tide Research. It turns atmospheric nitrogen into a form that is easily accessible for other algae species, including red tide. Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute / Courtesy A bloom of "sea sawdust" has been lingering off the Pinellas County coast for at least the past week, according to Florida researchers.
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