Why don't we have more red tides in Florida?

Abstract

With the present state of knowledge of red tides, particularly in Florida coastal waters, the major challenge may be to explain why they do not occur more often. It appears that at least five major factors are responsible for this blessing. These are: (1) environmental stress, (2) enemy organisms, (3) currents and other hydrographic factors, (4) possibly critical‐nutrient limitation, and (5) photodynamic action. The significance of these factors are reviewed as a guide to potential management strategies.

Key words:

• Red tide
• Ptychodiscus brevis
• management
• hydrographic factors
• photodynamic action
• Gomphosphaeria aponina
• prediction
• aponin
• “initiation zone”
• seed bed
• Loop Current