A massive bloom of bioluminescent algae, Noctiluca scintillans, is lighting up Tasmania's coastline with its striking red-blue glow. While visually stunning, this phenomenon is a serious warning sign for the marine ecosystem.
A bioluminescent algae that appears pinkish-red in the day and glows blue when disturbed has appeared across Tasmania's south-eastern coastline. Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin, a biologist and world-leading expert on jellyfish, says the algae could be fatal for other sea life. Seemingly out of nowhere, patches of Tasmania's south-east coastline have become streaked with red trails.
The region is a hotspot for Noctiluca scintillans — a type of bioluminescent algae that appears red in the day and glows an extraordinary blue at night — which is experiencing its biggest 'bloom' in almost a decade. It's a beautiful natural occurrence, but biologist and jellyfish expert Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin says it is also an environmental red flag. 'At night, you just get these fabulous displays of the bioluminescence that take your breath away. They're so beautiful,' Dr Gershwin said. 'And interestingly, they are a driver of things to go even worse.' She said there were three main ways that the blooms harmed the ecosystem. Firstly, it consumes large quantities of plankton, which are a vital food source for other organisms. And lastly, it emits ammonia into the water, burning the sensitive tissues of fish and blocking their gills. 'It is beautiful for us, but it's absolutely bad news for organisms that live in the water,' she said. Dr Gershwin said the salps feed on excess nutrients in the water, but have then died off, causing the bloom event. 'As they were dying off, they create a huge pulse of nutrients that then drives the phytoplankton to bloom again,' she said. The bioluminescent algae exists in Tasmania year-round, but usually in low numbers. 'It's rather scary because it's a visible indicator that something is really bad right now. But from a scientific point of view, gosh, it's fascinating.' While not toxic for humans, experts from the Derwent Estuary Program warned that swimming in the blooms could cause skin irritatio
ALGAE BIOLUMINESCENCE TASMANIA ECOSYSTEM POLLUTION
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