Solving harmful algal blooms problems by organizing bricks: Ostreopsis blooms as an example

Abstract

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are complex phenomena, caused by both natural and anthropogenic forcings with impacts on human health and wellbeing. HABs can be conceived as a Jungian Mandala composed by multiconnected bricks. Solutions to mitigate the negative effects of HABs can be found by identifying the different “Mandala building bricks”, their twofold cause and solution roles and, the connections among them.Two main kinds of bricks are at play: the natural dynamics of the microalgae in the habitat and the different human actors including directly affected end users, forcing activities, health systems, scientists, funders, policy makers and mass media. Identification of the Mandala building bricks determines their appropriate monitoring and helps to prioritize prevention and mitigation of the impacts of HABs, and ideally their occurrence. In this presentation we will show this approach applied to the particular case of Ostreopsis blooms. Human intoxications due to aerosol inhalation in certain Mediterranean beaches affected by Ostreopsis presence and/or proliferations have been reported in the last two decades. This benthic genus of tropical origin seems to be spreading to temperate waters likely due to a combined global warming and human activities. Ostreopsis produces palytoxin (PlTX), related to dramatic seafood intoxications in the tropics, luckily not documented in the Mediterranean yet. Building the Ostreopsis Mandala will help to promote local to global governance of the problem