Hope for the summer as scientists discover culprit behind South Australia's algal bloom
Scientists investigating South Australia's algal bloom have made a key discovery that could have major implications for the summer ahead.
They've linked the outbreak to karenia cristata, a rare species that struggles to survive in warmer weather, raising hopes it could soon begin to vanish.
The discovery comes after eight months of collaborative research involving 20 scientists, led by Professor Shauna Murray from the University of Technology Sydney.
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Scientists investigating South Australia's algal bloom have made a key discovery that could have major implications for the summer ahead. 9News
Karenia cristata has not been previously recorded in Australian waters, with only two prior instances documented globally, in South Africa and off the coast of Canada.
"It's very, very new, we did not know this species could produce brevetoxins or have such wide-scale effects as what we've seen in South Australia," Murray said.
The research indicates that karenia cristata is best suited to cold conditions.
"It enjoys more colder conditions which is a good sign if we're heading into the spring, summer months," Professor Mike Steer said.
"It may not be conducive for that species to bloom."
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Further investigation is underway to confirm the species' sensitivity to warmer water.
"There are some hopeful signs that it may not be able to survive the warmer water, and we'll have to test that," Murray said.
At the same time, new testing has shown cell counts are down for a second week in Adelaide metropolitan waters, despite significant amounts of foam washing up.
"Grange Jetty has gone from 1700 to zero, Glenelg Jetty remains at zero, Brighton Jetty from 280,000 to 300," Environment Minister Lucy Hood said.
In an effort to eradicate the bloom, different types of modified clay are being tested at the South Australian Research and Development Institute before it can be used in our oceans.
This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.
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