|
||
|
|
|
|
Press Releases | |
July 26, 2000
Southampton College Researcher Finds Brown Tide Retreat in Great South BayOngoing Study Seeks Solutions to Curb Future Growth of the Deadly Algae
Contact:
Darren Johnson
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081The most recent devastating bloom of Brown Tide in Long Island waters appears to be going into remission. Southampton College Marine Science Professor Chris Gobler released the good news today based on figures from an ongoing study funded by a New York Sea Grant.
"In June, Brown Tide cell densities exceeded 1 million cells per milliliter throughout Great South Bay," Dr. Gobler said. "Levels have since dropped dramatically, especially in eastern Great South Bay."
Levels above 35,000 cells per milliliter are known to inhibit the feeding of hard clams, the largest shellfish industry within Great South Bay. Gobler's latest data, from July 20, notes that in the eastern portion of the bay, counts have sunk to just 20,000 cells per milliliter. Counts in the western portion were 250,000 cells per milliliter. Counts in both parts of the bay as recently as June were record-setting over 1 million cells per milliliter.
Gobler said the declining Brown Tide densities may be due to nutrient limitation, predation (attacks on the Brown Tide cells by other organisms), rising water temperatures or viruses. His ongoing research hopes to help understand why Brown Tides come and go.
Last fall, one of the worst Brown Tides on record began in Great South Bay. Cell densities had remained above 100,000 cells per milliliter throughout the bay since then. Since October, Gobler has been conducting experiments to determine how nutrient supply and predation affect the Brown Tide there.
This is the first field study of Brown Tide dynamics in Great South Bay. This is also the first Brown Tide study to simultaneously consider the role of both predation and nutrient supply on the Brown Tide. Before this, studies have focused on one aspect or the other. The research will determine the type of nutrients that can shift the algal community toward and away from Brown Tide dominance. It will also ascertain whether predators, called microzooplankton, selectively avoid the Brown Tide during blooms.
The Brown Tide organism, Aureococcus anophagefferens, has been causing blooms in Long Island waters since 1985. Areas affected by the Brown Tide range from Rhode Island to Maryland, although blooms are most common to Long Island. Impacts on affected ecosystems, such as Great South Bay and the Peconic Estuary have included the decimation of shellfish industries, such as scallops and hard clams. Blooms have been absent from the Peconics since 1995, but plague Great South Bay almost every year.
Gobler, who is an Assistant Professor in Southampton College of Long Island University's internationally recognized Marine Science program, specializes in Brown Tide research. In this most recent study, he was aided by Southampton College graduates Marc Renaghan and Nathan Buck. Funding for the ongoing study came from the New York Sea Grant program.