Sargassum algae flood threatens Caribbean: tourism in danger!

Sargassum algae flood threatens Caribbean: tourism in danger!

Punta Cana, Dominikanische Republik - The Caribbean is faced with an unprecedented challenge: a record amount of Sargassum algae, the beaches and the marine ecosystem threaten. In May 2023, a frightening amount of around 38 million tons of these algae was found. This is the highest value that has been registered in 2011 since the start of research by the Great Atlantic Sargassum belt (GASB). The previous record was around 22 million tons in June 2022, which underlines worrying development.

Brian Barnes, assistant professor at the University of South Florida, explains that the annual peak values ​​increase, but the exact causes of this development are not yet clear. It is believed that a combination of factors such as sunlight, nutrient availability, water temperature and changes in the climatic environment leads to this phenomenon.

ecological and economic effects

Sargassum algae freely put poisonous gases and can endanger wild animals. In Martinique, the situation was so serious that a school had to temporarily close. These algae collections have far -reaching consequences for tourism because they pollute the beaches. Barriers were therefore built in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

In addition, some hotels take over the cleaning work and offer reimbursements or shuttles to fewer affected beaches. The negative effects on tourism are already noticeable, and many experts suspect that this trend will continue in the course of the year. The amount of coffin usually increases in late spring, reached its peak in summer and only drops in late autumn or early winter.

Scientific knowledge of the Sargassum problem

Research on Sargassum has increased in recent years. Several studies examine the causes of their exponential growth. For example, examinations by Djakouré et al. (2017) The possible causes of the recent outbreaks of Pelagic Sargassum algae in the tropical North Atlantic. Another interesting aspect by Jouanno et al. (2021) treated that present a nemo-based model approach to the distribution of Sargassum in the tropical region.

Few is clear, but the severity of the situation requires urgent attention from both the public and the scientists. Some researchers like Lapointe et al. (2021) analyze the nutrient content and the availability of nitrogen, which is a decisive factor for the productivity of the Sargassum algae. While the scientific discourse progresses, it remains uncertain whether the record numbers from May 2023 can be exceeded again in June.

For affected regions, this means that measures to combat algae flower and to reduce their effects on tourism are essential. Understanding the causes and the mechanisms that lead to these massive algae flowers will be crucial in order to be able to react better to the challenges in the future.

While the discussion about the causes and solutions of the Sargassum algae flower continues, it becomes clear that both bio-physical and human factors play a role in the development of this natural phenomenon. These findings were recorded in numerous studies, including the work of Gower and King (2020) and Wang et al. (2018) that examine the role of satellite observations to monitor Sargassum.

The Sargassum topic will continue to be a central concern for the region and the global community. Developments in this area are therefore not only of scientific interest, but also have practical effects on the life of people in the affected areas.

More details can be found in the reports of Rnd href = "https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-02074-X"> Nature .