Sargassum beaching events have also been reported in western Africa and northern Brazil.Perfect weather combined with energetic runners was the ideal conditions for the elite runners of the 47th edition of the Marine Corps Marathon held in Washington, D.C. The beaches along the Texas coast have experienced Sargassum inundation events annually, and since 2001 beaching events have also occurred on many Caribbean shores in nearly every spring and summer. Sargassum decomposition on beaches smells bad, attracts insects, and causes many environmental problems (e.g., smothering turtle nesting sites, sea turtle mortality, fish kills) and economic problems (e.g., diminished tourism). However, excessive amounts of Sargassum on beaches in populated areas can cause a lot of problems and they must be physically removed. It is also a marine resource for other uses such as biomass for food, fuel, and as a possible source of pharmaceutical materials. Sargassum may serve as fertilizers for sand dunes and thus protects shoreline stability. In the ocean it serves as an important habitat for many marine animals as it provides food, shade, and shelter (from predators) to fish, shrimp, crabs, and turtles. fluitans (Image courtesy of Amy Siuda), it is abundant in the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS), the Atlantic, and along the coasts of British Isles and mainland Europe. natans (Image courtesy of Amy Siuda) and S. Pelagic Sargassum seaweed (Image courtesy of Tracy Villareal) is a brown macroalgae floating on the ocean surface. The Sargassum Watch System (SaWS) is designed to use satellite data and numerical models to detect and track pelagic Saragassum in near-real time. Sargassum accumulates along Bathsheba Beach on the east coast of Barbados (courtesy of Romel Hall/Barbados Today)

Water quality versus seagrass distributionĬaribbean Sargassum: Sargassum natans (left) and Sargassum fluitans (right).Integrated Red tide Information System (IRIS).Assistant Research Professor Optical Oceanography (727) 553-1111 Professor Optical Oceanography (727) 553-3987

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