Harmful Algal Bloom Research within CIOSS

Pete StruttonCIOSS / COAS, Oregon State University

Michelle Wood, Brittany Scott and Andy Ohana-RichardsonDepartment of Biology, University of Oregon

Funded by NOAA’s Oceans and Human Health Program

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs): A growing problem

• Increasing frequency and persistence of HABs– Anthropogenic impacts, climatic shifts, ballast water dispersal

• Monitoring programs exist, but are not pro-active• Off Oregon the main toxic species are:

– Pseudo-nitzschia, diatom, produces Domoic Acid, leads to Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning

– Alexandrium, dinoflagellate, produces saxitoxin, leads to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

• Some HAB species (notably K. brevis) have unique optical signatures that can be used to detect in situ or from space.

• Goal: Use (multiple) satellite products to predict and track HABs

Historical data from the Oregon Dept of Agriculture

Large database of coastal toxin concentrations

Most comprehensive from 1998 to present

Includes two large events (1998 and 2005)

Backtrack from coastal observations to offshore conditions

Increasing toxicity of Oregon events

Note: 2005 DA concentrations were highest ever observed

Increasing toxicity associated with El Niño

El Niño La Niña

Large event in 1998

From: Hickey and Banas, 2003

• Observed along the entire west coast

• Linked to California Sea Lion deaths, particularly in central CA

• Relatively well-sampled with documented hot-spots on Heceta Bank and the Juan de Fuca eddy

• Focussed attention on the JdF eddy as a potential incubator

Juan de Fuca eddy: HAB incubator?

From: Sackmann & Perry, in press

Spectral signatures as a tracking tool

From: Sackman & Perry, in press

Results from Juan de Fuca work

• Transport events from the JdF to the WA coast are frequently observed.

• May 1999 event did not directly generate HAB conditions, but …

– suggests delivery of seed populations to the coast by (1) direct

advection, (2) switch to downwelling winds, or (3) sinking and upwelling

of cells.

• Despite the absence of a clear optical signal for Pseudonitzschia, radiance

spectra can be used to track masses.

• Satellite data monitoring could enhance shore-based sampling and

management.

Heceta Bank: A Juan de Fuca eddy analog?

Climatology of chlorophyll and HAB ‘hot spots’

HB

In situ measurements: May 2005 event

HB

Chl [mg m-3]

Domoic acidDomoic acid[nM][nM]

Coastal chlorophyll and domoic acid, 1998

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are needed to see this picture.

Accomplishments to date and future work

• Retrospective analysis of Oregon Dept of Agriculture toxin data– Confirms Heceta Bank (and Columbia outflow) as HAB hot spots– Have begun coupling these data with SeaWiFS chlorophyll– Next step: Go beyond chlorophyll to spectral signatures– Include analysis of fronts: both chlorophyll and temperature

• Large-scale event in 2005, with record Domoic Acid concentrations observed onshore

– in situ sampling of this bloom coupled with remote sensing• Established collaborations with WA and CA colleagues

– Strengthen these ties in the interest of standardized methods• Ultimately transition the remote sensing techniques to operations