Red Tides and Manatees the Term Paper

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Advances in molecular biochemistry have pushed the limits of the analytic measurements of brevetoxins and their metabolites in "certain substrates to nanogram levels, making it possible to isolate pure brevetoxins for use in the laboratory (Mini pp). During the 1996 prolonged red tide, the manatees' exposure to brevetoxins included chronic inhalation of the red tide toxin aerosol and ingestion of contaminated seawater over several weeks (Mini pp). Researchers, using a newly developed immunohistochemical stain, have found that brevetoxins accumulated in the respiratory tract, liver, kidneys, and brains of the manatees, thus concluding that the manatee deaths resulted from brevetoxin exposure (Mini pp).

Despite the ecological havoc that red tides cause, there are a few potential beneficial effects of K. brevis blooms that have been suggested (Environmental pp). For example, there have been reports of increased numbers of bottom-dwelling invertebrates following a red tide, and increased nutrients and food from dead fish sinking may contribute to the growth of the invertebrates (Environmental pp).

Works Cited

Environmental Impacts.
National Estuarine Research Reserve

http://www3.csc.noaa.gov/rookerybay/rsrcmgt/hab/envimpac.htm

Mini Monograph: Overview of Aerosolized Florida Red Tide Toxins: Exposures and Effects. http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2005/7501/7501.html

Red Tide. Florida Institute of Phosphate Research

http://www.fipr.state.fl.us/FIPRreport2003/research-highlights-red-tide.htm

The Trouble with Manatees and the Florida Water Story

http://www.xtalwind.net/~cfa/1intro.htm

When there is a higher-than-normal concentration of microscopic algae (plant- like organisms) in the water, this is often referred to as a Red Tide." http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/manatee/RedTide.html.....

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