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Gregory J. Doucette

Bio: Gregory J. Doucette is an academic researcher from National Ocean Service. The author has contributed to research in topics: Algal bloom & Domoic acid. The author has an hindex of 35, co-authored 58 publications receiving 3982 citations.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
06 Jan 2000-Nature
TL;DR: Findings reveal that monitoring of mussel toxicity alone does not necessarily provide adequate warning of DA entering the food web at levels sufficient to harm marine wildlife and perhaps humans.
Abstract: Over 400 California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) died and many others displayed signs of neurological dysfunction along the central California coast during May and June 1998. A bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia australis (diatom) was observed in the Monterey Bay region during the same period. This bloom was associated with production of domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin1 that was also detected in planktivorous fish, including the northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), and in sea lion body fluids. These and other concurrent observations demonstrate the trophic transfer of DA resulting in marine mammal mortality. In contrast to fish, blue mussels (Mytilus edulus) collected during the DA outbreak contained no DA or only trace amounts. Such findings reveal that monitoring of mussel toxicity alone does not necessarily provide adequate warning of DA entering the food web at levels sufficient to harm marine wildlife and perhaps humans.

794 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is a rapidly advancing monitoring effort resulting from the perception of increased impacts from these HABs, manifested as expanding routine coastal monitoring programs, rapid development and deployment of new detection methods for individual species, toxins, and toxicities, and expansion of coastal modeling activities towards observational forecasts of bloom landfall and eventually bloom prediction.
Abstract: Blooms of autotrophic algae and some heterotrophic protists are increasingly frequent in coastal waters around the world and are collectively grouped as harmful algal blooms (HABs). Blooms of these organisms are attributed to two primary factors: natural processes such as circulation, upwelling relaxation, and river flow; and, anthropogenic loadings leading to eutrophication. Unfortunately, the latter is commonly assumed to be the primary cause of all blooms, which is not the case in many instances. Moreover, although it is generally acknowledged that occurrences of these phenomena are increasing throughout the world's oceans, the reasons for this apparent increase remain debated and include not only eutrophication but increased observation efforts in coastal zones of the world. There is a rapidly advancing monitoring effort resulting from the perception of increased impacts from these HABs, manifested as expanding routine coastal monitoring programs, rapid development and deployment of new detection methods for individual species, toxins, and toxicities, and expansion of coastal modeling activities towards observational forecasts of bloom landfall and eventually bloom prediction. Together, these many efforts will provide resource managers with the tools needed to develop effective strategies for the management and mitigation of HABs and their frequently devastating impacts on the coastal environment.

516 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors' detection of P. australis frustules, via scanning electron microscopy, in both anchovy viscera and fecal material from sea lions exhibiting seizures provides corroborating evidence that this toxic algal species was involved in this unusual sea lion mortality event.
Abstract: The occurrence of an unusual mortality event involving California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) along the central California coast in May 1998 was recently reported. The potent neurotoxin domoic acid (DA), produced naturally by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia australis and transmitted to the sea lions via planktivorous northern anchovies (Engraulis mordax), was identified as the probable causative agent. Details of DA analyses for anchovy tissues and sea lion feces are described. Domoic acid levels were estimated in anchovy samples by HPLC-UV, and in sea lion feces using the same method as well as a microplate receptor binding assay, with absolute confirmation by tandem mass spectrometry. The highest DA concentrations in anchovies occurred in the viscera (223 +/- 5 microg DA g(-1)), exceeding values in the body tissues by seven-fold and suggesting minimal bioaccumulation of DA in anchovy tissue. HPLC values for DA in sea lion fecal material (ranging from 152 to 136.5 microg DA g(-1)) required correction for interference from an unidentified compound. Inter-laboratory comparisons of HPLC data showed close quantitative agreement. Fecal DA activity determined using the receptor binding assay corresponded with HPLC values to within a factor of two. Finally, our detection of P. australis frustules, via scanning electron microscopy, in both anchovy viscera and fecal material from sea lions exhibiting seizures provides corroborating evidence that this toxic algal species was involved in this unusual sea lion mortality event.

214 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) as mentioned in this paper is an electromechanical/fluidic system designed to collect discrete water samples, concentrate microorganisms, and automate application of molecular probe technologies.
Abstract: The advent of ocean observatories is creating unique opportunities for deploying novel sensor systems. We are exploring that potential through the development and application of the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP). ESP is an electromechanical/fluidic system designed to collect discrete water samples, concentrate microorganisms, and automate application of molecular probe technologies. Development and application of ESP grew from extensive partnerships galvanized by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program. Near-real-time observations are currently achieved using low-density DNA probe and protein arrays. Filter-based sandwich hybridization methodology enables direct detection of ribosomal RNA sequences diagnostic for groups of bacteria and archaea, as well as a variety of invertebrates and harmful algal species. An antibody-based technique is used for detecting domoic acid, an algal biotoxin. To date, ESP has been deployed in ocean waters from the near surface to 1000 m. Shallow-water deployments demonstrated application of all four types of assays in single deployments lasting up to 30 days and provided the first remote detection of such phylogenetically diverse organisms and metabolites on one platform. Deep-water applications focused on detection of invertebrates associated with whale falls, using remotely operated vehicle-based operations lasting several days. Current work emphasizes incorporating a four-channel, real-time polymerase chain reaction module, extending operations to 4000-m water depth, and increasing deployment duration.

157 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of second generation biodiesel production systems using microalgae can be found in this paper, where the main advantages of second-generation microalgal systems are that they: (1) have a higher photon conversion efficiency (as evidenced by increased biomass yields per hectare): (2) can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-year-round, providing a reliable and continuous supply of oil: (3) can utilize salt and waste water streams, thereby greatly reducing freshwater use: (4) can couple CO2-neutral fuel production with CO2 sequestration: (
Abstract: The use of fossil fuels is now widely accepted as unsustainable due to depleting resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment that have already exceeded the “dangerously high” threshold of 450 ppm CO2-e. To achieve environmental and economic sustainability, fuel production processes are required that are not only renewable, but also capable of sequestering atmospheric CO2. Currently, nearly all renewable energy sources (e.g. hydroelectric, solar, wind, tidal, geothermal) target the electricity market, while fuels make up a much larger share of the global energy demand (∼66%). Biofuels are therefore rapidly being developed. Second generation microalgal systems have the advantage that they can produce a wide range of feedstocks for the production of biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane and biohydrogen. Biodiesel is currently produced from oil synthesized by conventional fuel crops that harvest the sun’s energy and store it as chemical energy. This presents a route for renewable and carbon-neutral fuel production. However, current supplies from oil crops and animal fats account for only approximately 0.3% of the current demand for transport fuels. Increasing biofuel production on arable land could have severe consequences for global food supply. In contrast, producing biodiesel from algae is widely regarded as one of the most efficient ways of generating biofuels and also appears to represent the only current renewable source of oil that could meet the global demand for transport fuels. The main advantages of second generation microalgal systems are that they: (1) Have a higher photon conversion efficiency (as evidenced by increased biomass yields per hectare): (2) Can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-year-round, providing a reliable and continuous supply of oil: (3) Can utilize salt and waste water streams, thereby greatly reducing freshwater use: (4) Can couple CO2-neutral fuel production with CO2 sequestration: (5) Produce non-toxic and highly biodegradable biofuels. Current limitations exist mainly in the harvesting process and in the supply of CO2 for high efficiency production. This review provides a brief overview of second generation biodiesel production systems using microalgae.

2,254 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Global efforts are needed to promote more judicious use of prophylactic antibiotics in aquaculture as accumulating evidence indicates that unrestricted use is detrimental to fish, terrestrial animals, and human health and the environment.
Abstract: Summary The accelerated growth of finfish aquaculture has resulted in a series of developments detrimental to the environment and human health. The latter is illustrated by the widespread and unrestricted use of prophylactic antibiotics in this industry, especially in developing countries, to forestall bacterial infections resulting from sanitary shortcomings in fish rearing. The use of a wide variety of antibiotics in large amounts, including non-biodegradable antibiotics useful in human medicine, ensures that they remain in the aquatic environment, exerting their selective pressure for long periods of time. This process has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in aquaculture environments, in the increase of antibiotic resistance in fish pathogens, in the transfer of these resistance determinants to bacteria of land animals and to human pathogens, and in alterations of the bacterial flora both in sediments and in the water column. The use of large amounts of antibiotics that have to be mixed with fish food also creates problems for industrial health and increases the opportunities for the presence of residual antibiotics in fish meat and fish products. Thus, it appears that global efforts are needed to promote more judicious use of prophylactic antibiotics in aquaculture as accumulating evidence indicates that unrestricted use is detrimental to fish, terrestrial animals, and human health and the environment.

1,947 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a global assessment of the effects of inorganic nitrogen pollution in aquatic ecosystems is presented, with detailed multi-scale data, and three major environmental problems: (1) increasing the concentration of hydrogen ions in freshwater ecosystems without much acid-neutralizing capacity, resulting in acidification of those systems; (2) stimulating or enhancing the development, maintenance and proliferation of primary producers, leading to eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems; (3) reaching toxic levels that impair the ability of aquatic animals to survive, grow and reproduce.

1,753 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms on Aquatic Organisms: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 113-390 as mentioned in this paper was the first publication of this article.
Abstract: (2002). The Effects of Harmful Algal Blooms on Aquatic Organisms. Reviews in Fisheries Science: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 113-390.

1,242 citations