Stranger Than Fiction: Killer Diatoms

Published: 8/14/23

Breonna Collins

Many people have seen the movie “The Birds” by Alfred Hitchcock and may have overlooked the biological and environmental warning Mr. Hitchcock was trying to express. The birds in the movie became increasingly aggressive towards humans, attacking and stalking them. The cause of the birds to behave in such a manor in the movie was an algae bloom. The fish eat toxic algae, then stored in their body. Then the birds eat the contaminated fish, causing them to go crazy.

A rather odd movie, not one I would expect years down the line to actually be happening. Okay, it’s not happening exactly like the movie, however, toxic algae blooms in California are causing sea lions to become aggressive towards humans and can ultimately kill the sea lion.

The Toxic bloom I am talking about is a Diatom called Pseudo-nitzschia pungens. Pseudo-nitzschia pungens are a part of the Nitzschia genus. They can excrete Domoic Acid which is also the cause of amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans. There are 58 known species of Nitzschia but 28 of them can produce Domoic acid. Domoic acid is very dangerous because it is a neurotoxin.

Sea lions and dolphins have been washing up along the beach shores of Southern California,from Santa Barabra to San Diego county. These sea mammals were reported by tourists, residents and beachgoers as dying, sick, dead and/or even aggressive.

Toxic algae blooms are usually linked to increased nutrients in the water, Higher temperatures and increased bacterial interactions.

Well how crucial is the situation? In my opinion very! It's no secret that our planet is getting warmer, and overcrowded. Too much Anthropogenics, pollution caused by human activity, and rising temperature worldwide causes these toxic algae blooms.

If we want to save the sea mammals and our water, it’s time the WORLD start making changes. How we eat. How we burn energy. How we discard trash. All of these things are important behavioral and mental changes we must make.

Works Cited

Digital Journal, Karen Graham. Toxic algae bloom suspected in death of dolphins, sea lions in California, June, 2023. [Internet]