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Have you noticed the reddish-brown colored sea water at the beaches in Whyville? Have you considered
contributing to help rid the waters of the toxins? Have you ever wondered what caused this strange color to appear on our naturally blue waters? Well, I have recognized this problem and I have looked into it. The odd coloring is caused by a phytoplankton, and this specific species accumulates in organisms that consume algae. How could a bit of contaminated algae turn the whole sea red you ask? Well, the discoloration is the result of a large amount of this toxin. This is called a red tide, or a harmful algal bloom.
Blah blah blah, enough with the nerd talk already! The concept of this situation is actually sort of simple. It's basically just a high concentration of this toxin in our water that is making it this color. And as a Whyville citizen, you can definitely help! I find this scenario very interesting, and I am proud to be a part of the few trying to fix it. If you are also interested, first, you must take a sample of the sea water by going to the beach, and saying 'sample'. After that, you must go to the WhOl Plankton Lab and continue your research. Consult Sonya, she'll tell you all you need to know. If you do participate, you'll see that it's actually a wonderful learning experience. This may be a good start for those of you wishing to specialize in Marine Biology. But I digress. Moreover; more of us should pitch in to help change the color of our water back.
Others may think it's just a minor issue, but in reality, it's quite important. This can occur in the real world, and if humans were to consume an organism that contains this phytoplankton, there is serious consequences. Such as paralysis, or even death. Also, this ugly color doesn't look good on our waters! So become a part of the change, instead of being a slacker and overlooking this problem. You won't regret helping our virtual environment.
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