The frequency and intensity of red tide blooms has increased in recent years
(Anderson 1997). Expanded spatial distributions of red tide blooms have also been
observed on the global scale (Hodgkiss and Ho 1997, Yin et al. 1999). Red tides have the
ability to compromise coastal environments and economies as well as human health.
With the increased incidence of red tide phenomena comes the need to explore causative
factors involved in bloom propagation for mitigation and bloom prevention efforts.