Shoreline Soar: Exploring the Influence of Seaweed on Coastal Eco-Systems
The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB), a vast bloom of seaweed, has been causing concern for coastal communities and environmental scientists alike. This belt, first noticed in 2011, is more persistent and extensive than it was initially.
Researchers have linked flood and drought cycles in the Amazon to variations in sargassum biomass, demonstrating how land-based nutrient inputs from rivers are affecting the ocean on a global scale. The source of increased nutrient pollution leading to the expansion of the Sargassum spread in recent decades is primarily agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge from coastal regions.
Under optimal conditions, sargassum can double its biomass in just 11 days due to human-driven nutrient loading. These nutrients, which are normally absent in the open ocean, make sargassum flourish in nutrient-rich waters close to shore. Nutrient pollution, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, act as a supercharger for sargassum growth. Since the 1980s, studies have shown that the nitrogen content of sargassum has increased by more than 50%, while phosphorus has slightly decreased.
The expansion of GASB is not just limited to coastal impacts, but also extends to larger ocean circulation patterns. Sargassum blooms are tied to larger ocean circulation patterns, with the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) between 2009 and 2010 potentially playing a role in the further expansion of GASB.
The impact of sargassum blooms on coastal regions is undeniable. Beaches become clogged with tons of decaying seaweed, disrupting local tourism and causing headaches for beach cleanups. The expansion of sargassum blooms is causing significant environmental disruption, including mass strandings and costly beach cleanups.
Sargassum decomposition along coasts produces harmful gases that affect local health. This shift in sargassum's nutritional composition reflects a move away from natural oceanic nutrients to land-based pollutants. The expansion of sargassum has real impacts on coastal communities, including clogging beaches, affecting fisheries and tourism, and posing health risks.
The expansion of GASB has raised global alarm, as it is now more than just an environmental curiosity. Sargassum blooms are causing emergency situations, such as the emergency shutdown of a nuclear power plant (in Florida, 1991). They are affecting fisheries, posing health risks, and disrupting coastal communities.
In May 2023, researchers recorded a jaw-dropping 37.5 million tons of sargassum, excluding the usual 7.3 million tons in the Sargasso Sea. This is a stark reminder of the growing threat posed by GASB and the urgent need for action to address the root causes of its expansion.
Human activities, particularly nutrient pollution, are fueling the rapid rise of sargassum. Data from sargassum collected near the mouth of the Amazon River supports the theory that nutrient outflows from this major river contribute significantly to the development of GASB. The solution lies in reducing nutrient pollution, particularly from agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge, to prevent further expansion of GASB and mitigate its impacts on coastal communities and the wider ocean ecosystem.
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