title: Marine harmful algal blooms, human health and wellbeing: challenges and opportunities in the 21st century.
abstract: Microalgal blooms are a natural part of the seasonal cycle of photosynthetic organisms in marine ecosystems. They are key components of the structure and dynamics of the oceans and thus sustain the benefits that humans obtain from these aquatic environments. However, some microalgal blooms can cause harm to humans and other organisms. These harmful algal blooms (HABs) have direct impacts on human health and negative influences on human wellbeing, mainly through their consequences to coastal ecosystem services (fisheries, tourism and recreation) and other marine organisms and environments. HABs are natural phenomena, but these events can be favoured by anthropogenic pressures in coastal areas. Global warming and associated changes in the oceans could affect HAB occurrences and toxicity as well, although forecasting the possible trends is still speculative and requires intensive multidisciplinary research. At the beginning of the 21st century, with expanding human populations, particularly in coastal and developing countries, mitigating HABs impacts on human health and wellbeing is becoming a more pressing public health need. The available tools to address this global challenge include maintaining intensive, multidisciplinary and collaborative scientific research, and strengthening the coordination with stakeholders, policymakers and the general public. Here we provide an overview of different aspects of the HABs phenomena, an important element of the intrinsic links between oceans and human health and wellbeing.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berdalet
authors.affiliation: European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, Cornwall TR1 3HD, UK.
authors.forename: Lora E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.affiliation: Fisheries and Aquatic Ecosystems Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, UK ; Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, PA37 1QA, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gowen
authors.affiliation: Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), Scottish Marine Institute, Oban, PA37 1QA, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: Ifremer, Laboratoire Phycotoxines, BP21105, Rue de l'lle d'Yeu, 44311 Nantes Cedex 03, France.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.affiliation: National Center for Environmental Health, 4770 Buford Highway NE, MS F-60, Chamblee, GA 30341.
authors.forename: Lorraine C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Backer
authors.affiliation: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Joint Office for Science Support. Visiting Scientist at Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Marine Policy Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.
authors.forename: Porter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoagland
authors.affiliation: Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, IOC Science and Communication Centre on Harmful Algae, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 4, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Enevoldsen
keywords: Harmful algal blooms; ecosystem services; human health and wellbeing; marine biotoxins