[Coral-List] Cyanobacteria outbreak

[Eugene Shinn]

Dear Listers, Experiments by DR. Peter Swart at RSMAS and Dr. Valerie 
Paul at Smithsonian...and others have shown experimentally that a 
major stimulus for cyanobacteria growth (and other algae) is iron. 
Since African dust is about 6 percent iron it is no surprise that 
algae are proliferating, especially in the Central America region 
which receives the bulk of the dust that crosses the Atlantic.  I 
think most of you have read about the iron fertilization experiments? 
Agreed most of the iron is not in the bio available form but as soon 
as it becomes reduced in anoxic sediment it becomes bioavailable. 
And, the other important ingredient is phosphate.  Gene
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No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
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E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
College of Marine Science Room 221A
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eshinn at marine.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158---------------------------------- 
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