Top 2 HABs that impact 90% of the U.S
Part 2 of 3
We’ve walked the twisted path of HAB research together, it was quite a journey for me too. Now, brace yourself , I’m unveiling why I ranked specific HABs and what conclusions I pulled out at the end.
1. Cyanobacteria microcystin: The Freshwater Mob Boss
When it comes to freshwater, Cyanobacteria microcystin is the HAB that runs the show. It’s that thick, green slime, smelly, toxic , and nearly impossible to ignore. You’ve probably seen it spreading across lakes in the summer.
In Utah Lake, for example, the 2017 cyanobacteria bloom racked up roughly $370,000 in healthcare costs, with projections reaching over $1 million without early detection (Stroming et al., 2020). Utah’s seen these HABs repeatedly between 2014 and 2019, and with its warm months, shallow waters, it’s the perfect stage for this repeat offender. Environment Managers are always on a lookout given how it was detected in 39% of lakes.
It doesn’t stop there. The 2014 Great Lakes bloom in Lake Erie contaminated local water supplies in Toledo and Carroll Township, Ohio forcing 5,000 residents to rely on bottled water for three days and a “Do not drink advisory” notice((Jochem, 2017),(Smith, 2014)). Quick math? That’s about $180,000 in lost disposable income, just from panic-buying water.
Figure 1: 2014 cyanobacteria bloom in the Great Lakes
Down south, the 2018 Lake Okeechobee bloom hit Florida hard, reducing boating activity and causing an estimated $3.5 million loss in recreational welfare. Combine that with the Gulf’s own red tide event that same year, and you get a one-two punch of aquatic chaos.
Researchers estimate that cyanobacteria blooms cost the U.S. roughly $2.2 billion every year (Alvarez et al., 2019). With that résumé, it easily ranks as the #1 HAB in America.
2. Karenia brevis: The Gulf’s Red-Tide Diva
If cyanobacteria dominate freshwater, Karenia brevis owns the coastlines. Known for its blood-red hue, this Gulf of Mexico HAB is as destructive as it is dramatic.
Credit: Mote Marine Laboratory’s Manatee Research Program.
Figure 2: Red tide off Florida’s southwest coast during the 2017–2019 bloom.
Credit. R. Weisberg, USF.
Figure 3: A composite of all observations of Karenia brevis made by the Florida Wildlife Research Institute from 1953 through 2007.
During the infamous 2017–2019 red tide, Lee County, Florida, saw park visits drop 21%, with $2.7 billion in tourism losses. Add $4 million in hospital visits, $2.8 million in lost restaurant sales, and $3.7 million in hotel revenue (Alvarez et al., 2023) and you’ve got a bloom that literally emptied beaches and bank accounts.
K.brevis produces brevetoxins potent compounds that kill fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. They also cause respiratory illness in humans and lead to Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning (NSP) for anyone unlucky enough to eat contaminated seafood.
And here’s the kicker: Florida’s been dealing with Karenia brevis almost every year for the past 25 years (Alvarez et al., 2019). It’s practically a seasonal guest, one that never leaves, appearing usually in late summer or early fall (FWC, 2022).
Verdict? HAB danger zone #2.
Now that we’ve covered the top 2 habs, the next article is going to explore the last 2 (Pseudo-nitzschia and Alexandrium catenella)
In an upcoming article, we’ll explore the Last 2 HABs that impact 90% of the U.S., where they occur, and the damage they’ve done.
Stay tuned!
References:
(Alvarez et al., 2023)
Alvarez, S., Brown, C. E., Garcia Diaz, M., O’Leary, H., & Solís, D. (2023). Non-linear impacts of harmful algae blooms on the coastal tourism economy. Journal of Environmental Management, 352, Article 119811. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.11981(Alvarez et al., 2019)
Alvarez, S., Lupi, F., Solís, D., & Thomas, M. (2019). Valuing provision scenarios of coastal ecosystem services: The case of boat ramp closures due to harmful algae blooms in Florida. Water, 11(6), 1250. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11061250(FWC, 2022)
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2022). About red tides in Florida. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. https://myfwc.com/research/redtide/general/about/(Jochem, 2017)
Jochem, G. (2017, November 9). Algae toxins in drinking water sickened people in 2 outbreaks. NPR. https://www.npr.org(Smith, 2014)
Smith, J. (2014, August 4). Toledo faces second day of water ban. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/04/us/toledo-faces-second-day-of-water-ban.html(Stroming et al., 2020)
Stroming, S., Robertson, M., Mabee, B., Kuwayama, Y., & Schaeffer, B. (2020). Quantifying the human health benefits of using satellite information to detect cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms and manage recreational advisories in U.S. lakes. GeoHealth, 4(9). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020gh000254