Masses of flashing algae on the coast of Tasmania they returned in a show of bi-flowers
The phenomenon, known as “sea shines” or “red tides”, is caused by clusters of glistening nightshades, a pink-colored algae that experts say is a beautiful sight, but considered bad news for the environment.
Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin, scientist and writer He runs a tour In Tasmania, the nature of the flora and fauna is glowing, the current algal bloom across the Bay Bay, south of Hobart, is said to be on a “truly epic” scale.
The algae “put on a heck of a light show,” he said. What appeared during the day like a “slippery rose” emitted after darkness a “mesmerizing sparkle”, turning the arc of every wave of bright blue that stretched as far as the eye could see.
“It was a wonderful show. It’s a really emotional feeling, a very spiritual experience, to see something so terrifying and inspiring,” he said.
Dr Jen Matthews, a marine biologist from the Future Reefs research group at the University of Sydney, said the balloon shape of the organism allowed it to float on the surface.
“There are a few in number, and you wouldn’t see it, but when you get a huge amount, that’s when you start to see these red tides,” he said.
The blue rutile is triggered by a chemical reaction in the structure called a scintillation, similar to wave action.
“That chemical reaction produces light and it can be really spectacular,” he said. “In the Northern Hemisphere, they make snow angels, but you could go in the water and make angels in an algal bloom if you moved your hands around.”
If there were no waves, Gershwin recommended spraying the surface with water from a spray bottle to encourage sparkling and to avoid throwing rocks that could become hazards.
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While the bioluminescent light show was natural, the scale and density of it was a sign that something was missing in the environment, he said. “There is a form and a beast.”
Gershwin said he was concerned that the algal bloom had followed the wild pulse, and that the twin flower would begin to rise as the nightshade was extinguished. These organisms are usually abundant signs that an ecosystem is severely disturbed, she said.
Sparkling Nightingale was the first documented in Australia in the 1860sbut it was considered a rare sight until the 1990s, when algae spread and blooms became more common.
Matthews said large nightshade blooms are usually an indication of poor ecosystem health, which usually means higher levels of nutrients.
Its presence was also detrimental to marine life and aquaculture, he said, because it was a type of algae that fed on plankton in the water, sometimes even eating fish larvae and eggs.