The Marine Science Institute has conducted two surveys of the Upper Laguna Madre in response to the reappearance of the Texas Brown Tide. These surveys were conducted on 20 May 2005 and 9 June 2005. (Click on the link to view the data). The Brown Tide is now at densities similar to those observed during the previous event in 1990 - 1997. This event is significantly different in that salinity in the Laguna Madre is only slightly elevated above oceanic values.
Rapid response surveys funded by MERHAB (NOAA) award to T. A. Villareal and E. J. Buskey, UTMSI. Rapid response funding is intended to identify events and permit plans to be made for longer-term monitoring. We have exhausted the available funds and cannot conduct more sampling until we have funding in place to pay for boats and technicians.
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