Incorporating satellite data into early warning and monitoring for HABs in a changing climate

Numerous harmful algal bloom (HAB) species occur in the Chesapeake Bay, USA. These HABs can impact fish, shellfish, animal and human health via the production of toxins and/or degradation of water quality. Resource managers... [ view full abstract ]

Numerous harmful algal bloom (HAB) species occur in the Chesapeake Bay, USA. These HABs can impact fish, shellfish, animal and human health via the production of toxins and/or degradation of water quality. Resource managers are seeking ways to discriminate different HABs on large temporal and synoptic scales. This is especially crucial since it has been suggested that as changes in climate occur, ranges of HAB species will expand.  High frequency monitoring for HABs at large spatial scales has been beneficial to protecting public health and marine/estuarine life.  Satellite-derived algorithms and techniques have been developed for monitoring high biomass blooms which are visible in the surface water.  A red-band difference (RBD) algorithm has been developed for detecting toxic Karenia brevis in the Gulf of Mexico, USA.  When applied to MODIS imagery in Chesapeake Bay, the RBD has been useful in monitoring for blooms of several species of concern at 1 km resolution.  With the addition of the Ocean and Land Colour Imager (OLCI) on the Sentinel-3 satellite (launched by the European Space Agency in February 2016) to the ocean color suite of satellites, higher resolution (300 m) products are now available and show promise for improving bloom monitoring efforts. This resolution would aid in the monitoring of widespread estuarine and tidal regions of the Chesapeake Bay that contain shellfish resources and recreational beaches. The use of satellite-derived products combined with environmental conditions and their relationship to each species’ ecology may help further separate bloom types when optical separation is not feasible.