Does human pollution affect red tide?
One aspect of red tide research investigates the type and source dof nutrients that support a red tide bloom. The extent to which coastal pollution influences red tides is an area of intense interest, and considerable effort is being placed toward those investigations. It is important to keep in mind that red tide blooms appear to be a natural part of the phytoplankton community in the Gulf of Mexico. In this area of research, our responsibility is to determine the natural function of red tides and direct our efforts toward reducing human influences without causing further ecological damage.
