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 neurotoxin 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 harmful marine wildlife and perhaps humans.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 80-84 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Nature |
| Volume | 403 |
| Issue number | 6765 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 6 2000 |
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Mortality of sea lions along the central California coast linked to a toxic diatom bloom. / Scholin, Christopher A.; Gulland, Frances; Doucette, Gregory J.; Benson, Scott; Busman, Mark; Chavez, Francisco P.; Cordaro, Joe; DeLong, Robert; De Vogelaere, Andrew; Harvey, James; Haulena, Martin; Lefebvre, Kathi; Lipscomb, Tom; Loscutoff, Susan; Lowenstine, Linda J; Marin, Roman; Miller, Peter E.; McLellan, William A.; Moeller, Peter D R; Powell, Christine L.; Rowles, Teri; Silvagni, Paul; Silver, Mary; Spraker, Terry; Trainer, Vera; Van Dolah, Frances M.
In: Nature, Vol. 403, No. 6765, 06.01.2000, p. 80-84.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Mortality of sea lions along the central California coast linked to a toxic diatom bloom
AU - Scholin, Christopher A.
AU - Gulland, Frances
AU - Doucette, Gregory J.
AU - Benson, Scott
AU - Busman, Mark
AU - Chavez, Francisco P.
AU - Cordaro, Joe
AU - DeLong, Robert
AU - De Vogelaere, Andrew
AU - Harvey, James
AU - Haulena, Martin
AU - Lefebvre, Kathi
AU - Lipscomb, Tom
AU - Loscutoff, Susan
AU - Lowenstine, Linda J
AU - Marin, Roman
AU - Miller, Peter E.
AU - McLellan, William A.
AU - Moeller, Peter D R
AU - Powell, Christine L.
AU - Rowles, Teri
AU - Silvagni, Paul
AU - Silver, Mary
AU - Spraker, Terry
AU - Trainer, Vera
AU - Van Dolah, Frances M.
PY - 2000/1/6
Y1 - 2000/1/6
N2 - 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 neurotoxin 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 harmful marine wildlife and perhaps humans.
AB - 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 neurotoxin 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 harmful marine wildlife and perhaps humans.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034610801&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0034610801&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/47481
DO - 10.1038/47481
M3 - Article
C2 - 10638756
AN - SCOPUS:0034610801
VL - 403
SP - 80
EP - 84
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
IS - 6765
ER -