Red Tides Marine Biology Presentation

This is a great in depth presentation guide that explains what causes the oceanic issue of red tides. The presentation is in the info graphic format. Use recommended in any marine bio, biology, or environmental science class. Red tides are a hazard because toxins released by large amounts of plankton paralyze fish and can bioaccumulate in the tissues of shellfish and filter-feeding molluscs. Shellfish predators, including humans, consume toxins that cause paralysis and death. A red tide is a phenomenon caused by an algal bloom in which the algae grow in such abundance that they pollute coastal waters (hence the name "red tide"). Algal blooms can also deplete the water of oxygen and/or release toxins that can cause illness in humans and other animals. A red tide is a marine environmental event in which protists, including algae and dinoflagellates, undergo a massive growth phase known as a bloom or algal bloom. Each algae cell can produce 1 million daughter cells over a period of 2 to 3 weeks. This growth can cause the water to discolor, commonly known as a red tide. Algal blooms must not cause discoloration of the water; hence, the technical term for this phenomenon is an algal bloom. Protists can injure or kill marine life by producing toxins or consuming dissolved oxygen.