Amazon and Orinoco), nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) concentration in the oceans, increase in the amount of phosphorus due to saharan dust, water temperature, and river runoffs. In addition to changing wind patterns, other hypotheses include a combination of factors, such as the variation in the outflow of major rivers (e.g. Once in this new and favorable tropical Atlantic habitat, with ample sunlight, warm waters, and nutrient availability, the Sargassum flourished and has continued to grow. After exiting the Sargasso Sea, the Sargassum drifted southward in the Canary Current and entered the tropics. This shift in winds triggered a long-distance eastward dispersal of Sargassum, from the Sargasso Sea, toward the Iberian Peninsula in Europe and West Africa. One hypothesis proposes that during the winter of 2009–2010, the winds that typically blow to the east, from the Americas to Europe, strengthened and shifted to the south more dramatically and persistently than any other time in the 1900–2020 record. Researchers are still assessing various hypotheses about the cause of this first documented extreme event. Why did the geographic range for Sargassum expand in 2011? In 2011, the geographic range expanded, and massive amounts of Sargassum moved west into the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and south tropical Atlantic, washing ashore in Florida, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and most islands and coastal areas in the Caribbean Sea. Historically, the majority of Sargassum aggregated in the Sargasso Sea in the western North Atlantic, with some small amounts found within the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Sargassum is a type of floating brown algae, commonly called “seaweed.” These algae float at the sea surface, never attach to the sea floor, and they can aggregate to form large mats in the open ocean. General Sargassum Information What is Sargassum? CoastWatch stakeholders may also be interested in the Experimental Weekly Sargassum Inundation Reports. Please visit the AOML-hosted Sargassum FAQ page for additional context on Sargassum research, tracking and monitoring. With permission, we reprint the FAQs here for expedience. As more people encounter this nuanced macroalgae, it is ever-so important to track, study, and communicate effectively.Ī Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Sargassum was composed by the NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in partnership with NOAA CoastWatch Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic OceanWatch Node. The challenge has since extended to the contiguous United States as the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt drifts towards Florida. More about that event can be found in a CoastWatch User Story here. The Caribbean overcame significant challenges in 2022 as Sargassum washed ashore in unprecedented amounts.
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