Where is the seaweed blob going?
Is this disgusting clump of ocean plant mass going to turn Florida into an un-swimmable destination?
We spoke with one swimmer who encountered it in the Dominican Republic. As a result of the blob, the swimmer received a rash all over his body. In addition, bugs that live in the blob bite the human skin!
Now the stinky seaweed which according to the BBC is wider than the US might turn the Southeastern United States into Seaweed Blob Ground Zero!!
A product of global warming? Is there a level of Sustainable Investing that could develop a cure for the blob?
So poor Florida and Georgia, looks like they are about to get it!
According to Scientific American the gigantic mass (visible from space) will hit Florida directly! And the science behind it from SA is as follows:
“A loose raft of brown seaweed spanning about twice the width of the U.S. is inching across the Caribbean. Currently, bucketloads of the buoyant algae are washing up on beaches on the eastern coast of Florida earlier in the year than usual, raising scientists’ concerns for what coming months will bring.
The seaweed is made up of algal species in the genus Sargassum. These species grow as a mat of glops of algae that stay afloat via little air-filled sacs attached to leafy structures. The algae form a belt between the Caribbean and West Africa in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean and then ride the currents west. Scientists say that reports of a massive blob of seaweed slamming into coastlines are overblown because the Sargassum algae are scattered across the ocean, and much of the seaweed will never reach the coast’s sandy shores. But in recent years researchers have generally seen larger so-called Sargassum blooms.”
Some science:
Seaweeds, also known as marine macroalgae, are a diverse group of photosynthetic organisms that live in the ocean. They are one of the most important primary producers in marine ecosystems, and play a crucial role in maintaining the health of oceanic environments. In this essay, we will explore the science behind seaweed, including their taxonomy, morphology, physiology, ecology, and various applications.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Seaweeds belong to the Kingdom Protista, specifically in the phylum Chlorophyta (green algae), Rhodophyta (red algae), and Phaeophyta (brown algae). Seaweeds come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, ranging from tiny unicellular forms to massive kelp forests that can grow up to 100 feet tall.
They have a simple structure!
Consisting of a holdfast, a stipe or stem-like structure, and a blade or leaf-like structure. The holdfast is used to anchor the seaweed to a substrate, such as a rock or the ocean floor. The stipe provides support and connects the holdfast to the blade. The blade is where photosynthesis occurs and is the main source of food for the seaweed.
Physiology: Seaweeds are photosynthetic organisms that use sunlight to produce energy and organic matter through photosynthesis. Like land plants, seaweeds require sunlight, carbon dioxide, and nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, to grow. They have a unique ability to absorb nutrients directly from seawater through their thallus or body, allowing them to thrive in nutrient-poor environments.
Where is the seaweed blob going?
