Will a cleaner San Francisco Bay be a more toxic one?
Jun 5, 2019
Dr. David Senn's nutrients program is highlighted in the San Francisco Examiner as his work to measure and predict the effects of an ever-clearer San Francisco Bay again "come to light":
San Francisco Bay enthusiasts are pleased that the waters of San Francisco Bay are becoming cleaner and clearer, but researchers are worried that this might invite a new problem – blooms of toxic phytoplankton. Although these microscopic, toxin-producing algae are already found in the Bay, with clearer waters permitting more light to reach these photosynthetic algae, it’s feared that the Bay could turn into a toxic soup of both freshwater and marine harmful algae, potentially impacting shellfish and even the marine mammals that are finally starting to re-populate the Bay.
Student and staff researchers at SF State’s Estuary & Ocean Science (EOS) Center are working with scientists from the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) to find out if we can expect a better or worse “recuperated” SF Bay now that its muddy waters are becoming clearer.
By:
William Cochlan
Associated Staff:
Programs and Focus Areas:
Nutrients