Harmful Algal Blooms Associated with Volcanic Eruptions in Indonesia and Philippines for Korean Fishery Damage

Tai-Jin Kim

doi:10.4236/abb.2020.115017

Abstract

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) were analyzed to trace the outbreak of dinoflagellate Cochlonidium polykrikoides on the Korean coast from 1993 to 2019 along with relationship to volcanic eruptions. Parameters associated with blooms and fishery damage were sunspot number, El Niño/La Niña events, Kuroshio Current, and volcanic eruptions in the South China Sea including Indonesia and the Philippines. HAB development was halted in seawater due to the sulfur compounds (H2S, SO2, sulfates) from volcanic eruptions inducing the deficiency of the dissolved iron (Fe) in the seawater. Cochlonidium polykrikoides blooms could be predicted by the minimal sunspot number during La Niña event or weak volcanic eruptions in Indonesia and the Philippines. On line monitoring of HAB was suggested using a prototype detector of Cochlonidium polykrikoides at wavelength of 300 nm with the concentration linearity (R2 = 0.9972) between 1000 and 6000 cells/ml. HABs on the Korean coast were negligible when there were volcanic eruptions in either Indonesia or Philippines from May to August. Fishery damage was linearly proportional (R2 = 0.2986) to the maximal concentration of HAB while 5000 cells/ml was the minimal concentration of HAB with high linearity (R2 = 0.7629), caused by old cysts of Cochlonidium polykrikoides on the Korean coast rather than the fresh ones carried by the Kuroshio Current from the Philippines. Fishery damage was reversely proportional to the number of sunspots; the maximal number of sunspots induced frequent volcanic eruption in Indonesia and the Philippines for retardation of HAB with less fishery damage in Korea while the minimal number of sunspots caused less volcanic eruptions for thereby enhancing HAB resulting in more fishery damage. It was proposed that a yellow LED be used at 590 nm as a photochemical expellent as well as H2S gas bubbling at a 0.5 meter depth on the surface of the fish cage to inactivate chemically Cochlonidium polykrikoides due to the deficiency of essential iron in the seawater. In addition, the physical method of blanketing the cage cloth with smaller pore diameter than that of HAB was used for prevention of Cochlonidium polykrikoides penetrating into the fish cage.

Highlights

Harmful algae have been the subject of scientific and societal interest for centuries
Parameters associated with blooms and fishery damage were sunspot number, El Niño/La Niña events, Kuroshio Current, and volcanic eruptions in the South China Sea including Indonesia and the Philippines
Cochlonidium polykrikoides blooms could be predicted by the minimal sunspot number during La Niña event or weak volcanic eruptions in Indonesia and the Philippines

Summary

Introduction

Harmful algae have been the subject of scientific and societal interest for centuries. There are Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) in seawater This is because blooms of toxic dinoflagellates, which are known as “red tides”, cause a variety of deleterious effects on aquatic ecosystems. These include negative effects such as beach fouling, oxygen deficiency, clogging of fish gills, or poisoning of various organisms [1]. Higher Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies were observed in El Niño years while cooler anomalies were seen during La Niña years. El Niño years have a harmful effect on fish, birds, and any other species that live in or near the Pacific Ocean. Cochlonidium polykrikoides have caused great economic losses in the seawater of South Korea. Predicting the outbreak of Cochlonidium polykrikoides is important in minimizing fishery losses [8]

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