Historical Occurence and Current Status of Harmful Algal Blooms in Suffolk County, NY, USA (2016)

Coastal marine ecosystems are among the most ecologically and socioeconomically productive on the planet. Anthropogenic processes associated with eutrophication and climate change can make these coastal marine ecosystems more susceptible to ecological perturbations including harmful algal blooms (HABs). The spatial and temporal expansion and increased intensity of HABs is a globally recognized phenomenon and this expansion has already been observed in Suffolk County where HABs have become a human health, economic and environmental threat to local waters.