The online journal of discovery in the Life, Earth, Marine and Environmental sciences at Western Washington University

WWU Scientists Studying Puget Sound's Harmful Algal Blooms

Posted Mon, 08/03/2009 - 13:37 by GAIA
Faculty member: 
SPMC staff
Department: 
Shannon Point Marine Center

Scientists at Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center have received a trio of federal grants totaling more than $1.1 million to study why certain kinds of algae create toxic blooms in Puget Sound waters. 
Some of these algae – both microscopic single-celled algae and larger seaweeds – contain toxins and can cause fish kills and close shellfish beds due to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).  Others create nuisance conditions due to their physical presence in shallow waters or the odors that are created when they die and begin to disintegrate.
Two of the grants totaling about $950,000 were from the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), the same federal agency considering moving its fleet to Bellingham.  A third grant was provided by the National Science Foundation.  The grants were awarded to Shannon Point’s Suzanne Strom, who studies the microscopic forms, and Kathy Van Alstyne, who studies sea weed blooms.  Both scientists have involved students heavily in the research.

“These kind of high-profile grants show the quality of the research being done at Shannon Point,” said the center’s director, Steve Sulkin. “This type of research will help us learn more about what is causing these environmentally and economically damaging algal blooms and eventually assist managers of our marine waters to predict their occurrence and perhaps even prevent them.”
The studies on microscopic algae are designed to determine what factors contribute to conditions in local waters that produce dense blooms of these algae, what factors influence the level of their toxicity, and what role such blooms play in the complex food webs that support the high productivity of local waters.  The issue is of particular concern locally because some forms have caused fish kills in penned Atlantic salmon throughout the San Juans, causing the loss of millions of dollars to the local aquaculture industry.
Studies on seaweeds have concentrated on large green sea lettuces that create mats in shallow waters, especially under hot, sunny conditions.  As the seaweeds accumulate on beaches and decompose, they strip oxygen from the water and can release toxins, threatening fish and other marine life.  The project has recently determined that when stressed by high temperatures or when they are exposed at low tide, the mats can release toxins into the water that are also harmful to marine life. The studies at Shannon Point are focused on the factors that control toxin production and release, the damage down by toxins and whether the algae can harm vital nearshore eelgrass beds.
The Shannon Point Marine Center is a facility of Western Washington University located in Anacortes. More information about the marine center and its facilities and programs can be accessed at its Web site at www.wwu.edu/~spmc.

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