The Weed Invasion, Sargassum Edition


The Weed Invasion, Sargassum Edition


Since 2011, the shores of Trinidad and Tobago has been plagued with the sargassum seaweed invasion and is seen as a nuisance to most citizens. However we can only reduce the sargassum influx if we know where it comes from.

Where does it come from? Does it form along our shores, or is it transported from oceans apart?

Map of the distribution of sargassum across the Atlantic Ocean,
Photo: UWI, Mona
Initially, it was believed that the sargassum seaweed seen in the Caribbean stemmed from the Sargasso Sea which is also called “The Golden Floating Rainforest”. This particular name was given to this region because of a reservoir of sargassum seaweed approximated to hold about 10 million metric tons. The enormous amount of seaweed accounts for the golden hue seen for miles across the Sargasso Sea. It was assumed that the currents of the Atlantic Ocean distributed the seaweed generously throughout the Caribbean.


 Are we sure this is the cause of sargassum in the Caribbean?

In 2011 a study was conducted by scientists to track the movement of sargassum using satellite trackers, ocean models and the examination of high resolution pictures. This has caused scientists to believe that the Sargasso Sea is not the main cause of sargassum in the Caribbean. A massive sargassum bloom off the West coast of Africa in the equatorial region where the ocean currents rotate in a sequence known as the North Equatorial Recirculation Region (NERR) seems to be the new source of sargassum in the Caribbean.
Thick seaweed chokes the waterways in Marigot, Dominica. Photo: Karen Thomas
There are many factors that may have contributed to a new sargassum pool in the Atlantic Ocean. Firstly, climate change has caused the increase in the temperature of the ocean. Warmer conditions and waste water with high levels of Nitrogenous and Phosphate based compounds allow marine plants to thrive therefore promoting an algal boom. Furthermore, the strength of the currents in the NERR is driven by major climate indices, allowing a build-up of seaweed. Therefore when the current picks up the sargassum it transports it in oddly large quantities which is then deposited on the shores of the Caribbean in outrageous amounts.

Now that we know where the sargassum comes from, next we will explore the effects of this seaweed on the Caribbean.

Source: UWI St Augustine Campus Libraries and RDM efforts at the UWI, St Augustine Campus. (2017). LEARN Toolkit of Best Practice for Research Data Management, 11-12. doi:10.14324/000.learn.08

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 6, 2018 at 12:54 PM

    Very informative...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AvinashOctober 23, 2018 at 7:34 PM

    I never thought seaweed could have been so interesting, keep up the good work. I look forward to more interesting posts from you!

    ReplyDelete

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