Blooms of the marine diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia that produce the neurotoxin domoic acid have been documented with regularity along the coast of southern California since 2003, with the occurrence of the toxin in shellfish tissue predating information on domoic acid in the particulate fraction in this region. Domoic acid concentrations in the phytoplankton inhabiting waters off southern California during 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011 and 2017 were comparable to some of the highest values that have been recorded in the literature. Blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia have exhibited strong seasonality, with toxin appearing predominantly in the spring. Year-to-year variability of particulate toxin has been considerable, and observations during 2003, 2006, 2007, 2011 and again in 2017 linked domoic acid in the diets of marine mammals and seabirds to mass mortality events among these animals. This work reviews information collected during the past 15 years documenting the phenology and magnitude of Pseudo-nitzschia abundances and domoic acid within the Southern California Bight. The general oceanographic factors leading to blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia and outbreaks of domoic acid in this region are clear, but subtle factors controlling spatial and interannual variability in bloom magnitude and toxin production remain elusive.

自2003年以来，沿加利福尼亚南部沿海地区定期记录了产生神经毒素多摩酸的海洋硅藻属假性奈瑟菌属的大量开花，贝类组织中毒素的出现早于该区域颗粒物中有关多摩酸的信息。 。2003年，2006年，2007年，2011年和2017年期间，南加州南部浮游植物栖息水域中的海藻酸浓度与文献中记录的某些最高值相当。花开的拟菱形藻藻表现出强烈的季节性，春季主要出现毒素。颗粒毒素的逐年变化非常可观，2003年，2006年，2007年，2011年和2017年的观察都将海洋哺乳动物和海鸟的饮食中的多摩酸与这些动物的大规模死亡事件联系起来。这项工作回顾了过去15年中收集的信息，这些信息记录了南加州海岸线内的拟南芥丰度和海藻酸的物候和强度。导致该地区伪奈茨海藻大量繁殖和多摩酸暴发的一般海洋学因素是显而易见的，但控制绽放程度和毒素产生的空间和年际变化的细微因素仍然难以捉摸。