Brenna Eikenbary is a future veterinary student at Oregon State University who holds a Master’s degree in Global Health from Georgetown university. Her focus is on One Health issues, including researching the potential impact of harmful algal blooms on sea turtle health in collaboration with Upwell.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Management (NOAA) defines harmful algal blooms (HABs) as “when colonies of algae – simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater - grow uncontrollably and produce toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds.” While human illnesses caused by HABs are rare, they can be severe or even fatal.
Sea turtles are also affected by HABs which are fueled by various environmental factors such as elevated ocean temperatures, nutrient pollution from agricultural and urban runoff as well as wastewater, increased sunlight exposure, calm water conditions, and disruptions to the food web. The frequency, duration, and intensity of these blooms are being accelerated by climate change and human activities.
HABs are an emerging One Health issue in our local communities, impacting the health of humans, animals, and our shared habitat. the economic and ecological consequences of HABs are important. Coastal areas often face fishing closures and tourism losses to protect public health while wildlife, including fish, birds, sea turtles, and marine mammals suffer from biotoxin exposure. among the toxins produced by HABs, domoic acid is especially harmful as it can cause severe neurological and cardiac damage leading to mass die-off events in marine mammals and seabirds.
This is such an important topic, thank you for shedding light on the dangers facing sea turtles.