Project

Managing Pyrodinium Outbreaks in the Indian River Lagoon

Full Title: Controlling Pyrodinium Outbreaks in the Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System (IRLES) using Low-cost Biochars Prepared from Sargassum
Harmful algal blooms (HABs), particularly involving Pyrodinium bahamense, threaten the Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System (IRLES), leading to economic losses and public health risks from saxitoxin (STX) contamination. This project seeks to combat HABs in IRLES with a cost-effective and systematic approach in line with the comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) goals for a healthy ecosystem and increased public awareness.
Lead Investigator: Dr. Toufiq Reza Associate Professor Chemistry and Chemical Engineering treza@fit.edu, Dr. Spencer Fire, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology sfire@fit.edu, Dr. Anwar Sadmani, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida sadmani@ucf.edu.
Project Team: Holly Abeels, Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent, University of Florida IFAS Extension Brevard County habeels@ufl.edu, Dr. Vincent Encomio, Martin and St. Lucie County Extension Agent vencomio@ufl.edu
Collaborator: NOAA, University of Central Florida, Indian Riven Lagoon National Estuarine Program, Treasure Coast Shellfish, Green Carbon Solutions, Air Burners, USFS
Award Amount: $186,868
Year Funded: 2022
Award Period: 2/1/22 – 1/31/24
Project Abstract:

The Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System (IRLES) frequently experiences harmful algal blooms (HABs), with Pyrodinium bahamense (hereafter as ‘Pyrodinium’) as one of the major bloom-forming phytoplankton species. Pyrodinium produces saxitoxins (STX) in their growth phase. STX is a group of neurotoxins which cause paralytic fish poisoning (PSP) and shellfish poisoning- resulting in major economic losses for the Atlantic coast of Florida. HABs formed by Pyrodinium in the IRLES have been responsible for seafood contamination, including a 2002-2004 pufferfish poisoning event involving 28 human cases and fish STX concentrations nearly 300 times of the federal regulatory limit. Co-PI-Fire’s group has detected STX in several other commercially and ecologically important finfish and shellfish species in the IRLES, as well as in important marine sentinel species such as the bottlenose dolphin. Traditional methods to control HABs have proven to be either costly or ineffective. Thus, many important marine resources of IRLES (e.g., shellfish beds, aquaculture pens) are at risk of contamination during such STX-producing HABs. As a result, IRLES has been experiencing nearly 80% decline of profit from commercial harvested clams, oysters, crabs, and shrimps ($20.1 million in 1994 to $4.3 million). Not only on marine industries, HABs have shown serious impact on the recreation and visitor related sectors, resource management sector, and living resources sectors, which are the major fractions of IRLES’s income of $2.6 billion. Therefore, HABs were identified in the IRLES’s comprehensive conservation and management plan (CCMP) as one of thirty-two vital signs of IRL health. Each vital sign has been ranked based on 4 levels of estuary health concerns (critical, serious, stable, and undetermined). HABs were ranked as a “critical” estuary health issue: “Condition threatens immediate and long-term prognosis for Lagoon health. Indicators are unfavorable. Trend is negative. Immediate and aggressive intervention is urgently needed to stop and reverse trend”. In this FL Sea Grant project, we propose a systematic study to control IRLNEP’s HABs in an economically viable and environmentally sustainable manner. Therefore, our project aligns with the IRL CCMP – Looking Ahead to 2030. This project will also be aligned with two of the EPA goals for IRL namely, (a) Goal 2: To attain and maintain a functioning, healthy ecosystem which supports endangered and threatened species, fisheries, commerce and recreation; Goal 3: To achieve heightened public awareness and coordinated interagency management of the IRL ecosystem.

Project received a no cost extension through `1/31/25. The project started late during the award negotiations and subcontracting. Additional time was also needed to source Pyrodinium for the project as well as for the project subcontractor at UCF to complete their task on toxin characterization.

 

More To Explore

Boosting Florida Sea Grant: “Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, Equity”

This project aims to expand FSG’s capacity to work in collaborative and integrative ways to address the state’s coastal resilience needs, as well as promote DEIJA (diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility). Working with the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies (Shimberg Center), FSG will support the development of a statewide resiliency initiative – “Disaster Resilient Florida” (DRF) that integrates science, communication, planning, design, and outreach to support communities addressing coastal climate change challenges with an orientation towards underserved communities. The DRF initiative’s activities will 1) promote experiential learning activities for graduates and undergraduate students, 2) advance collaborations and new partnerships across FSG, the College of Design, Construction and Planning, and Florida communities, as well as 3) advance institutional capacity across extension staff, university faculty, regional planning councils, and local communities. Specifically, this partnership will advance the awareness of, and planning and preparation for, the impacts of coastal climate change on affordable housing across Florida.
View Project

Promoting Coastal Resilience, Adaptation, and Equity in Florida

This proposal outlines a collaborative effort between Florida Sea Grant (FSG) and the University of Florida’s Shimberg Center for Housing Studies to develop a statewide resiliency initiative called “Disaster Resilient Florida,” aimed at addressing coastal climate change challenges with a focus on underserved communities. The initiative will advance awareness, planning, and preparation for the impacts of coastal climate change on affordable housing in Florida, through capacity building, educational opportunities, partnership expansion, and support for marginalized communities.
View Project

Green Infrastructure Assessment for Climate Adaptation

The Indian River Lagoon (IRL) faces biodiversity threats and water quality challenges exacerbated by climate change, prompting the initiation of the Regional Resiliency Action Plan (RRAP) to address these issues through green infrastructure in Brevard and Volusia counties. The RRAP outlines objectives for prioritizing green infrastructure and promoting habitat connectivity, with ongoing efforts focusing on comprehensive land cover assessments, optimization modeling, and community engagement to support resilience planning and ecological restoration in Brevard County, aligning with Florida Sea Grant priorities and Stetson University’s mission for environmental resilience.
View Project
Florida Sea Grant Logo (2023 Stacked White)
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Florida Sea Grant College Program
2306 Mowry Road, Bldg. 164 | P.O. Box 110400 | Gainesville, FL 32611 | Tel: (352) 392-5870
© 2024 Florida Sea Grant. All Rights Reserved.

Report technical problems with this site to fsg@ifas.ufl.edu.
News
Events