On a sultry Fall morning of 1947, the community of Venice, Florida awoke to thousands of dead fish along the beaches and a stinging, choking gas in the air. Although this was the first scientific documentation of this catastrophic event along the Florida gulf coast, reports of similar events have been recorded as far back as the mid 1800 s. Single celled phytoplankton are abundant in the coastal areas of the ocean. The phytoplankton also referred to as algae occur in different varieties. An alga serves an important process in the ecology of the ocean by performing photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is a process that reduces carbon dioxide to carbohydrates with the aid of sunlight.
The reduced carbon compounds formed by photosynthesis are a food source for other marine life. Among the varieties of algae that exist are species that form harmful algal blooms or HABs. HABs are another expression of the notorious Red Tide. The Red Tide is harmful to marine and human life. HABs produce toxins and neurotoxins that are devastating to the environment and humans the effects can be staggering in terms of health and economic impacts.