Red tide is a naturally occurring, higher-than-normal concentration of the microscopic algae Karenia brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve). This organism produces a toxin that affects the central nervous system of fish so that they are paralyzed and cannot breathe.

As a result, red tide blooms often result in dead fish washing up on beaches. When red tide algae reproduce in dense concentrations, or blooms, they are visible as discolored patches of ocean water, often reddish in color.

Remember, if you provide a quote or information from a source (e.g., your textbook or the Internet), you must include the correct citation and reference in APA style.

If you want to succeed in the online discussion boards, here are a few things to keep in mind: make your post engaging, interesting, and long enough to completely cover the material. It is helpful to think of the post as more of a mini-paper than a simple contribution to a discussion with at least 250-300 words.