NUTRIENT ANALYSES OF THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER AND ESTUARY OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Red tide is an algal bloom of the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis which produces a paralyzing neurotoxin that prevents respiration in marine life leaving an overwhelming amount of dead wildlife on the shores, threatens already impaired waters, and causes negative human health effects. It is hypothesized that red tide is exacerbated by a supply of excess nutrients in coastal water and Lake Okeechobee is thought to drive blooms with nutrients from freshwater discharges. In order to investigate the cause of red tide, we examined the relationship between nutrient concentrations and freshwater flows from Lake Okeechobee by comparing nutrient concentrations in the Caloosahatchee River and Gulf of Mexico before, during, and after freshwater releases to determine specific indicators in water conditions. Samples were filtered onsite and analyzed using a continuous segmented flow analyzer to determine the nutrient concentrations for nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and silicate. The amount of dissolved nutrients will be compared to physical and biological factors including temperature, salinity, flow, and chlorophyll in order to determine specific relationships between nutrient levels and other existing features of the water. These data will provide insight into the changes in nutrient concentrations during red tide and allow for an understanding of harmful algal blooms and why there has been an increase in frequency and severity. By understanding harmful algal blooms, mitigation techniques can be implemented to lower the harm to marine life and humans that is caused by these algal blooms.