Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf

Abstract Blooms of toxigenic Karenia brevis are a major concern to public health and marine ecosystems on the West Florida Shelf. Hurricanes and tropical storms can discharge huge amounts of terrestrial nutrients into coastal oceans over a short time and have been linked to large plankton blooms, bu...

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Main Authors: Yuren Chen, Ming Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113500
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author Yuren Chen
Ming Li
author_facet Yuren Chen
Ming Li
author_sort Yuren Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Blooms of toxigenic Karenia brevis are a major concern to public health and marine ecosystems on the West Florida Shelf. Hurricanes and tropical storms can discharge huge amounts of terrestrial nutrients into coastal oceans over a short time and have been linked to large plankton blooms, but the underlying mechanisms for the bloom generation are not well understood. In 2022, Hurricane Ian generated extensive river plumes laden with nutrients, followed by a large K. brevis bloom that lasted for six months. Analysis using a coupled hydrodynamic‐biogeochemical model showed that Hurricane Ian drove the bloom in two ways. First, northerly winds on the western half of Ian generated coastal upwelling and onshore bottom currents that transported subsurface K. brevis cells toward the coast. Second, a substantial amount of the riverine nutrients remained after the initial diatom bloom and were dispersed widely, creating a favorable condition for the slow‐growing K. brevis.
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spelling doaj-art-a7d430b5aa9d4e5381253d8f9c3a54192025-08-20T03:10:57ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-03-01526n/an/a10.1029/2024GL113500Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida ShelfYuren Chen0Ming Li1Horn Point Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environment Science Cambridge MD USAHorn Point Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environment Science Cambridge MD USAAbstract Blooms of toxigenic Karenia brevis are a major concern to public health and marine ecosystems on the West Florida Shelf. Hurricanes and tropical storms can discharge huge amounts of terrestrial nutrients into coastal oceans over a short time and have been linked to large plankton blooms, but the underlying mechanisms for the bloom generation are not well understood. In 2022, Hurricane Ian generated extensive river plumes laden with nutrients, followed by a large K. brevis bloom that lasted for six months. Analysis using a coupled hydrodynamic‐biogeochemical model showed that Hurricane Ian drove the bloom in two ways. First, northerly winds on the western half of Ian generated coastal upwelling and onshore bottom currents that transported subsurface K. brevis cells toward the coast. Second, a substantial amount of the riverine nutrients remained after the initial diatom bloom and were dispersed widely, creating a favorable condition for the slow‐growing K. brevis.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113500hurricanesharmful algal bloomsnutrient pulseKarenia brevisupwellingcoastal ocean
spellingShingle Yuren Chen
Ming Li
Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf
Geophysical Research Letters
hurricanes
harmful algal blooms
nutrient pulse
Karenia brevis
upwelling
coastal ocean
title Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf
title_full Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf
title_fullStr Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf
title_short Impact of Hurricane Ian (2022) on Karenia brevis Bloom on the West Florida Shelf
title_sort impact of hurricane ian 2022 on karenia brevis bloom on the west florida shelf
topic hurricanes
harmful algal blooms
nutrient pulse
Karenia brevis
upwelling
coastal ocean
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113500
work_keys_str_mv AT yurenchen impactofhurricaneian2022onkareniabrevisbloomonthewestfloridashelf
AT mingli impactofhurricaneian2022onkareniabrevisbloomonthewestfloridashelf