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Keeping Coral Clean Seaweed overgrowth is a major problem for coral reefs and also seems to be a consequence of excessive harvesting of herbivorous fish. Dixson and Hay (p. 804) examined this effect on Fijian reefs. Species of small herbivorous gobies and coral-associated damselfish were compared for their effect on the toxic Chlorodesmis seaweed in experiments that required caging colonies of the branching coral Acropora nasuta and the associated fish species. Only the gobies actively removed algal fronds attached to the cages and only one species (itself toxic to predators) ate them; the damselfish simply defected from the arena when toxic algae were present. The hydrophobic toxins exuded in the algal mucus lysed coral polyps releasing cell constituents that, together with the algal toxin, attract the gobies, which then eat the algal fronds. Interestingly, the toxic goby became more toxic to predators after consumption of the seaweed, which may help to drive symbiosis with a coral colony.

Scientists researching harmful algal bloom "hot spots" off southern and central California have been awarded $821,673 for the first year of an anticipated 5-year $4,076,929 project to investigate methods that could provide early warning detection of the toxic blooms, also known as red tides. The research is being conducted in partnership with two U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System partners - the Central and Northern California Ocean Observing System and the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System. The teams will combine the detection and monitoring of the toxic blooms with ocean models that can forecast ocean conditions, potentially leading to bloom predictions.

Harmful Algae This website from NOAA and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is meant to serve as a comprehensive resource for information about harmful algal blooms (HABs). Links include basic information about HABs, how they affect humans and ecosystems, the latest HAB news, and information about meetings and conferences.

Harmful Algae This website from NOAA and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is meant to serve as a comprehensive resource for information about harmful algal blooms (HABs). Links include basic information about HABs, how they affect humans and ecosystems, the latest HAB news, and information about meetings and conferences.