Perceived global increase in algal blooms is attributable to intensified monitoring and emerging bloom impacts
| Type | Article | ||||||||||||
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| Date | 2021-06 | ||||||||||||
| Language | English | ||||||||||||
| Author(s) | Hallegraeff Gustaaf M.1, Anderson Donald M.2, Belin Catherine 3, Bottein Marie-Yasmine Dechraoui4, Bresnan Eileen5, Chinain Mireille6, Enevoldsen Henrik7, Iwataki Mitsunori8, Karlson Bengt9, McKenzie Cynthia H.10, Sunesen Inés11, Pitcher Grant C.12, Provoost Pieter13, Richardson Anthony14, Schweibold Laura15, Tester Patricia A.16, Trainer Vera L.17, Yñiguez Aletta T.18, Zingone Adriana19 |
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| Affiliation(s) | 1 : Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia 2 : Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA 3 : IFREMER, Brest, France 4 : Ecotoxicology and sustainable development Expertise (ECODD), Valbonne, France 5 : Marine Scotland, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK 6 : Laboratory of Marine Biotoxins, Institut Louis Malardé-UMR241 EIO, Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia 7 : Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO IOC Science and Communication Centre on Harmful Algae, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark 8 : Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan 9 : Oceanographic Research, Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Västra Frölunda, Sweden 10 : Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, NL, Canada 11 : División Ficología Dr. Sebastián Guarrera, FCNyM, Paseo del Bosque s/n, CONICET—UNLP, La Plata, Argentina 12 : Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa 13 : IOC Project Office for IODE, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, Oostende, Belgium 14 : CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Queensland Biosciences Precinct (QBP), St Lucia, Qld, Australia 15 : School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia 16 : Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Plouzané, France 17 : Ocean Tester, LLC, Beaufort, NC, USA 18 : Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA 19 : Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 20 : Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy |
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| Source | Communications Earth & Environment (2662-4435) (Springer Science and Business Media LLC), 2021-06 , Vol. 2 , N. 1 , P. 117 (10p.) | ||||||||||||
| DOI | 10.1038/s43247-021-00178-8 | ||||||||||||
| WOS© Times Cited | 141 | ||||||||||||
| Abstract | Global trends in the occurrence, toxicity and risk posed by harmful algal blooms to natural systems, human health and coastal economies are poorly constrained, but are widely thought to be increasing due to climate change and nutrient pollution. Here, we conduct a statistical analysis on a global dataset extracted from the Harmful Algae Event Database and Ocean Biodiversity Information System for the period 1985–2018 to investigate temporal trends in the frequency and distribution of marine harmful algal blooms. We find no uniform global trend in the number of harmful algal events and their distribution over time, once data were adjusted for regional variations in monitoring effort. Varying and contrasting regional trends were driven by differences in bloom species, type and emergent impacts. Our findings suggest that intensified monitoring efforts associated with increased aquaculture production are responsible for the perceived increase in harmful algae events and that there is no empirical support for broad statements regarding increasing global trends. Instead, trends need to be considered regionally and at the species level. |
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