Blue Tide phenomenon observed in Maharashtra

Blue Tide phenomenon observed in Maharashtra

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Environment; Science

In news

• Over the last few days, visitors to beaches in Maharashtra have witnessed the fluorescent bluish glow when the waves hit the shoreline.

Key takeaways

• The phenomenon is called ‘blue tide’.
• It appears when luminescent marine life makes the sea appear a deep shade of blue.
• It occurs when phytoplankton (microscopic marine plants), commonly known as dinoflagellates, produce light through chemical reactions in proteins. 
• Waves disturb these unicellular microorganisms and make them release blue light.

Do you know?

• Bioluminescence is the property of a living organism to produce and emit light.
• Animals, plants, fungi and bacteria show bioluminescence.
• A remarkable diversity of marine animals and microbes are able to produce their own light. 
• It is found in many marine organisms such as bacteria, algae, jellyfish, worms, crustaceans, sea stars, fish and sharks.
• Luminescence is generally higher in deep-living and planktonic organisms than in shallow species.
• It is an anti-predatory response. 
• Bioluminescence is assumed to startle predators, causing them to hesitate.