Assessment of the threat of toxic microalgal species to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area

Source: Reef & Rainforest Research Centre
"Prerequisites for the assessment of the threat of introduced and invasive marine pests to a particular ecosystem are knowledge of species present, their current distributions and abundances. This information, however, largely does not exist for microalgal communities in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA). This review will provide an overview of current knowledge of toxic microalgae with a focus on toxic dinoflagellates. It will briefly describe dinoflagellate characteristics, which impede identification and molecular tool development, provide an overview of microalgal toxins and associated human health issues, and summarise information available on the distribution of toxic microalgae in the GBRWHA and Australasia and their threats to the region."