Harmful algal blooms and eutrophication along the mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico large marine ecosystem

Ulloa, Marco J.; Álvarez-Torres, Porfirio; Horak-Romo, Karla P.; Ortega-Izaguirre, Rogelio

doi:10.1016/j.envdev.2016.10.007

Cited by 46 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…Human activities (agricultural and urban) in the upstream watersheds and at the coast have a direct effect on the functioning of coastal marine ecosystems. Many coastal waters in the world are under the influence of river plumes and their unbalanced load of nutrients, possibly leading to harmful algal blooms (HABs) and/or hypoxia (China [1,2]; Gulf of Mexico [3,4]; Baltic Sea [5]; Adriatic Sea [6,7]; etc.). Areas of the English Channel and the North Sea are also known for their eutrophication problems [8][9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing the Agri-Food System of Watersheds to Combat Coastal Eutrophication: A Land-to-Sea Modelling Approach to the French Coastal English Channel

et al. 2019

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The continental coastal waters of the Eastern Channel, from Normandy to Hauts-de-France, are subject to the major influence of unbalanced nutrient inputs from inflowing rivers. Several episodes of harmful algal blooms (HABs) compromising fishing and shellfish farming activities have been observed at the coast. For a better understanding of how the land-to-sea aquatic continuum functions, the GRAFS-RIVERSTRAHLER river biogeochemical model was implemented to cover the watersheds of 11 rivers flowing into this area (including the Seine) and chained with the ecological marine ECO-MARS3D model, applied to the French Northern coastal zone. Human activities strongly impact on the functioning of coastal ecosystems. Specifically, for these fertile soils of Northern France, intensive agricultural nitrogen (N) deliveries in excess over silica (Si) and phosphorus (P), essentially of diffuse origin, are potentially responsible for coastal eutrophication. Phosphorous is today equally supplied by diffuse and point sources, after a drastic reduction of inputs from wastewater treatment plants since the 2000s, and is better balanced regarding Si, as shown by the indicators of coastal eutrophication potential (P-ICEP versus N-ICEP). However, despite this drastic P reduction, HABs still appear repeatedly. Exploration of several scenarios of agro-food chain reorganization shows that (i) further progress in urban wastewater treatment to fully comply with current European regulations will not result in a significant reduction of nutrient fluxes to the sea, hence including HABs, and (ii) radical structural changes in agriculture, based on generalization of long and diversified organic crop rotations, reconnection of crop and livestock farming and changes in the human diet have the capacity to significantly reduce nutrient flows, coastal eutrophication and HABs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing the Agri-Food System of Watersheds to Combat Coastal Eutrophication: A Land-to-Sea Modelling Approach to the French Coastal English Channel

et al. 2019

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“…Additionally, sewage discharges which most of the time lack a proper treatment process, also represent a significant input of nutrients to coastal waters [13]. As a consequence, harmful algal blooms are an issue of concern in the Mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico [14], and the prevalence of cholera has been related to poor water quality [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite the growing environmental damage in the Southern Gulf of Mexico, few studies [10,11,14] have addressed nitrogen pollution and its consequences. This study evaluates the spatial and temporal variations of ammonium, nitrate and organic nitrogen concentrations along two rivers and their coastal areas associated to mangroves where water hyacinth invasion is prevalent.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Nitrogen Pollution in a Coastal Region with Mangroves of the Southern Gulf of Mexico

Temino-Boes

Romero-López

Romero

2019

Water

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Nitrogen pollution is a growing problem in many rivers and estuaries of the Southern Gulf of Mexico. In Costa Esmeralda, a tourist destination in Veracruz, the increasing nitrogen pollution is causing severe environmental damage. However, very few studies addressed nitrogen pollution and its consequences for beaches and mangroves. In this study, a spatiotemporal evaluation of nitrogen concentrations was performed along two rivers discharging into Costa Esmeralda and the associated mangrove and coastal areas. The data used was obtained from the local government, which measured ammonium, nitrate and organic nitrogen concentrations between 2013 and 2016 with four annual measurements. Clustering analysis was used to detect the nitrogen concentration differences between riverine and coastal sites. Additionally, Mann-Kendall test was used to detect the trends throughout the study period. The Mann-Whitney W-test determined the difference in the median concentrations between the dry and the wet season. The results indicate that organic nitrogen concentrations are increasing in river mouths and coastal waters. Nitrogen pollution caused an intrusion of water hyacinths in touristic beaches and completely covered mangroves. The decomposition of these plants in saline waters was identified as the main potential source of increasing organic concentrations, driven by nitrogen pollution from wastewater, deforestation and fertilizers, and causing many environmental and socio-economic damage to the area. The results shed light on the prevailing water pollution problems in the Southern Gulf of Mexico.

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“…Karenia brevis blooms have been observed in all Mexican states (except Quintana Roo) [65]. Again, in this sampling campaign, the sampling point under active bloom conditions according to the IOP index had significantly higher chlorophyll a levels (33.2 mg m −3 ) than sampling points in non-bloom conditions (7.0 mg m −3 on average).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…were also observed in Dzilam during this HAB event according to [64]. The silica needed for this sustained diatom bloom may have been supplied by the characteristic springs (cenotes) of the Quintana Roo state [65]. The sample identified as under active bloom conditions according to the IOP index had significantly higher chlorophyll a levels (12.5 mg m −3 ) than samples in non-bloom conditions (around 2.2 mg m −3 on average).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

Identification of Phytoplankton Blooms under the Index of Inherent Optical Properties (IOP Index) in Optically Complex Waters

Aguilar-Maldonado

Santamaría-del-Ángel

González-Silvera

et al. 2018

Water

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Phytoplankton blooms are sporadic events in time and are isolated in space. This complex phenomenon is produced by a variety of both natural and anthropogenic causes. Early detection of this phenomenon, as well as the classification of a water body under conditions of bloom or non-bloom, remains an unresolved problem. This research proposes the use of Inherent Optical Properties (IOPs) in optically complex waters to detect the bloom or non-bloom state of the phytoplankton community. An IOP index is calculated from the absorption coefficients of the colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), the phytoplankton (phy) and the detritus (d), using the wavelength (λ) 443 nm. The effectiveness of this index is tested in five bloom events in different places and with different characteristics from Mexican seas: 1. Dzilam (Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean), a diatom bloom (Rhizosolenia hebetata); 2. Holbox (Caribbean Sea, Atlantic Ocean), a mixed bloom of dinoflagellates (Scrippsiella sp.) and diatoms (Chaetoceros sp.); 3. Campeche Bay in the Gulf of Mexico (Atlantic Ocean), a bloom of dinoflagellates (Karenia brevis); 4. Upper Gulf of California (UGC) (Pacific Ocean), a diatom bloom (Coscinodiscus and Pseudo-nitzschia) and 5. Todos Santos Bay, Ensenada (Pacific Ocean), a dinoflagellate bloom (Lingulodinium polyedrum). The diversity of sites show that the IOP index is a suitable method to determine the phytoplankton bloom conditions.

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Harmful algal blooms and eutrophication along the mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico large marine ecosystem

Cited by 46 publications

References 72 publications

Managing the Agri-Food System of Watersheds to Combat Coastal Eutrophication: A Land-to-Sea Modelling Approach to the French Coastal English Channel

Managing the Agri-Food System of Watersheds to Combat Coastal Eutrophication: A Land-to-Sea Modelling Approach to the French Coastal English Channel

A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Nitrogen Pollution in a Coastal Region with Mangroves of the Southern Gulf of Mexico

Identification of Phytoplankton Blooms under the Index of Inherent Optical Properties (IOP Index) in Optically Complex Waters

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