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Effects of Red Tides

Joshua Hinds Fall 2022

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi

1301: Writing and Rhetoric I

Dr. Frances Johnson

November 19th, 2022

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How Red Tides Effect Organisms and the Environment

Red tides have been getting a spark of attention recently, specifically due to the effects

that it has on the environment and life itself. Earlier review articles have discussed this topic;

however, a more current synthesis is needed. Red tides are harmful algae blooms caused by a

specific algae called Karenia brevis (Dobson et al., 2019). These blooms excrete a brevotoxin

that is harmful to most forms of life (Hoagland et al., 2013). Also, it directly effects the fishing

industry by killing millions of fish which effects the economy negatively (Park et al., 2013). The

purpose of this literature review is to report to the conversations about the effects of red tides

specifically on the environment and economy. Recently, more people have been being affected

by red tides, so this topic is more prevalent than before. They found people being hospitalized

with gastrointestinal, neurological, respiratory problems due to the red tides (Kirkpatrick et al.,

2010)

Brevotoxins

Brevotoxins are the harmful toxins that are released from the red tide blooms (Kirkpatrick et al.,

2004). There are many ways that you can ingest these toxins; the toxins can escape the water

through the sea breeze, and you can inhale it, or you can eat an organism that has ingested it

(Hoagland et al., 2014). The effects of brevotoxins can be enhanced if you suffer from asthma

(Bean et al., 2011). With just one hour of exposure people with asthma suffered from adverse

changes in pulmonary function (Bean et al., 2011). People’s risk perception was significantly

higher if they had asthma because they were more negatively affected by the brevotoxins

(Fleming et al., 2007). Respiratory and digestive illnesses can be caused by brevotoxin exposures
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(Hoagland et al., 2014). The minor cases of it have been known to cause irritation in the nose,

throat, and itchy skin (Cheng et al., 2005). They found this data by monitoring workers on the

Texas coast who constantly work around these red tides.

Effects on Wildlife

According to the research red tides kill millions of fish each time they occur (Dobson et

al., 2019). The deadly brevotoxins released from the algae that cause red tides are very potent.

Research was conducted on free-range manatees to see the effects that the red tides had on them.

Some of the manatees survived and they took them to a lab to see if there were lasting effects

from the toxins and there were (Walsh et al., 2015). The manatees who survived, their immune

system's response was damaged (Walsh et al., 2015). The brevotoxins also seemed to be

correlated with tumor growth in some sea turtles (Perrault et al., 2017). It is shown to have

adverse health effects on the immune system and overall development. Red tides can happen

during any part of the year but are the worst in the summer months (Dobson et al., 2019).

Reduced salinity, high water temperatures, light saturation, and currents can all cause the

overgrowth to occur (Dobson et al., 2019).

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Conclusion

In conclusion we can see that the red tides are very harmful to organisms and have a

terrible effect on the environment. In addition to the economic damage, it can cause. The

Brevotoxins produced by the algae are very potent and most of the time is fatal for whatever

consumes it. The purpose of this literature review is to bring to light the harmful effects of red

tides. We have not found a way to prevent these phenomena from occurring, but we are

beginning to understand them more and what causes them to happen.

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References

Backer, L. C., Kirkpatrick, B., Fleming, L. E., Cheng, Y. S., Pierce, R., Bean, J. A., Clark, R.,

Johnson, D., Wanner, A., Tamer, R., Zhou, Y., & Baden, D. G. (2005). Occupational

exposure to aerosolized brevotoxins during Florida red tide events: Effects on a healthy

worker population. Environmental Health Perspectives, 113(5), 644-6

Bean, J. A., Fleming, L. E., Kirkpatrick, B., Backer, L. C., Nierenberg, K., Reich, A., Cheng, Y.

S., Wanner, A., Benson, J., Naar, J., Pierce, R., Abraham, W. M., Kirkpatrick, G.,

Hollenbeck, J., Zaias, J., Mendes, E., & Baden, D. G. (2011). Florida red tide toxins

(Brevotoxins) and longitudinal respiratory effects in asthmatics. Harmful Algae, 10(6),

744-748.

Cheng, Y. S., Villareal, T. A., Zhou, Y., Gao, J., Pierce, R. H., Wetzel, D., Naar, J., & Baden, D.

G. (2005). Characterization of red tide aerosol on the Texas coast. Harmful Algae, 4(1),

87-94.

Dobson, A., Feldman, A., Nation, M., & Laux, K. (2019). Red Tide: Harmful algal blooms and

global climate change. The Science Teacher, 87(1), 35–41.

Fleming, L. E., Kirkpatrick, B., Backer, L. C., Bean, J. A., Wanner, A., Reich, A., Zaias, J.,

Cheng, Y. S., Pierce, R., Naar, J., Abraham, W. M., & Baden, D. G. (2007). Aerosolized

red-tide toxins (brevotoxins) and asthma. Chest, 131(1), 187.

Hoagland, P., Jin, D., Beet, A., Kirkpatrick, B., Reich, A., Ullmann, S., Fleming, L. E., &

Kirkpatrick, G. (2014). The human health effects of Florida Red Tide (FRT) blooms an

expanded analysis. Environment International, 68, 144–153.

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Kirkpatrick, B., Fleming, L. E., Squicciarini, D., Backer, L. C., Clark, R., Abraham, W., Benson,

J., Cheng, Y. S., Johnson, D., Pierce, R., Zaias, J., Bossart, G. D., & Baden, D. G.

(2004). Literature review of Florida red tide: Implications for human health effects.

Harmful Algae, 3(2), 99–115.

Kirkpatrick, B., Bean, J. A., Fleming, L. E., Kirkpatrick, G., Grief, L., Nierenberg, K., Reich, A.,

Watkins, S., & Naar, J. (2010). Gastrointestinal emergency room admissions and florida

red tide blooms. Harmful Algae, 9(1), 82-86.

Kirkpatrick, B., Kohler, K., Byrne, M. M., & Studts, J. (2014;2013;). Florida red tide knowledge

and risk perception: Is there a need for tailored messaging. Harmful Algae, 32, 27-32.

Park, T. G., Lim, W. A., Park, Y. T., Lee, C. K., & Jeong, H. J. (2013). Economic impact,

management and mitigation of Red Tides in Korea. Harmful Algae, 30.

Perrault, J. R., Stacy, N. I., Lehner, A. F., Mott, C. R., Hirsch, S., Gorham, J. C., Buchweitz, J.

P., Bresette, M. J., & Walsh, C. J. (2017). Potential effects of brevetoxins and toxic

elements on various health variables in kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys Kempii) and green

(Chelonia Mydas) sea turtles after a red tide bloom event. The Science of the Total

Environment, 605-606, 967-979.

Walsh, C. J., Butawan, M., Yordy, J., Ball, R., Flewelling, L., de Wit, M., & Bonde, R. K.

(2015). Sublethal red tide toxin exposure in free-ranging manatees (Trichechus Manatus)

affects the immune system through reduced lymphocyte proliferation responses,

inflammation, and oxidative stress. Aquatic Toxicology, 161, 73-84.

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