%AMcCabe, Ryan [Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean University of Washington Seattle Washington USA]%AMcCabe, Ryan [Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean; University of Washington; Seattle Washington USA]%AHickey, Barbara [School of Oceanography University of Washington Seattle Washington USA]%AHickey, Barbara [School of Oceanography; University of Washington; Seattle Washington USA]%AKudela, Raphael [Ocean Sciences Department University of California Santa Cruz California USA]%AKudela, Raphael [Ocean Sciences Department; University of California; Santa Cruz California USA]%ALefebvre, Kathi [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seattle Washington USA]%ALefebvre, Kathi [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Seattle Washington USA]%AAdams, Nicolaus [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Seattle Washington USA]%AAdams, Nicolaus [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seattle Washington USA]%ABill, Brian [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Seattle Washington USA]%ABill, Brian [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seattle Washington USA]%AGulland, Frances [The Marine Mammal Center; Sausalito California USA]%AGulland, Frances [The Marine Mammal Center Sausalito California USA]%AThomson, Richard [Department of Fisheries and Oceans Institute of Ocean Sciences Sidney British Columbia Canada]%AThomson, Richard [Department of Fisheries and Oceans; Institute of Ocean Sciences; Sidney British Columbia Canada]%ACochlan, William [Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies San Francisco State University Tiburon California USA]%ACochlan, William [Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies; San Francisco State University; Tiburon California USA]%ATrainer, Vera [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seattle Washington USA]%ATrainer, Vera [Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Seattle Washington USA]%BJournal Name: Geophysical Research Letters; Journal Volume: 43; Journal Issue: 19; Related Information: CHORUS Timestamp: 2023-08-22 15:13:15 %D2016%IDOI PREFIX: 10.1029 %JJournal Name: Geophysical Research Letters; Journal Volume: 43; Journal Issue: 19; Related Information: CHORUS Timestamp: 2023-08-22 15:13:15 %K %MOSTI ID: 10020191 %PMedium: X %TAn unprecedented coastwide toxic algal bloom linked to anomalous ocean conditions %XAbstract

A coastwide bloom of the toxigenic diatomPseudo‐nitzschiain spring 2015 resulted in the largest recorded outbreak of the neurotoxin, domoic acid, along the North American west coast. Elevated toxins were measured in numerous stranded marine mammals and resulted in geographically extensive and prolonged closures of razor clam, rock crab, and Dungeness crab fisheries. We demonstrate that this outbreak was initiated by anomalously warm ocean conditions.Pseudo‐nitzschia australisthrived north of its typical range in the warm, nutrient‐poor water that spanned the northeast Pacific in early 2015. The seasonal transition to upwelling provided the nutrients necessary for a large‐scale bloom; a series of spring storms delivered the bloom to the coast. Laboratory and field experiments confirming maximum growth rates with elevated temperatures and enhanced toxin production with nutrient enrichment, together with a retrospective analysis of toxic events, demonstrate the potential for similarly devastating ecological and economic disruptions in the future.

%0Journal Article