Why has the Texas "Brown Tide" Persisted for Over Five Years

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

9529750 BUSKEY "Brown tides" are persistent blooms of phytoplankton that reduce the penetration of sunlight in the water column. A direct consequence of this phenomenon is a reduction in the growth of seagrass beds which can reduce nursery habitats for fishes and winter food resources for migrating waterfowl. Completion of this research project will provide an understanding of the ecological factors that regulate the initiation and persistence of such harmful algal blooms. Field mesocosm experiments will investigate the effects of nutrient additions on brown tide growth and phytoplankton species composition. Laboratory studies of algal growth rates will explore light, temperature, salinity and allelopathic effects. ***