Culture, Politics, and Toxic Dinoflagellate Blooms: The Anthropology of Pfiesteria

Applied anthropologists have joined forces with biological scientists in studying the community and health effects of toxic dinoflagellate blooms. This paper presents findings from a number of investigations of the cultural, political, and health consequences of Pfiesteria blooms. We argue that a unique role for applied anthropology is to identify the cultural models of pollution and health that individuals draw upon to understand complex environmental problems such as dinoflagellate blooms. We also argue that anthropology must consider the political factors that sharpen stakeholder interest in environmental events and that lead to competing policies and initiatives for natural resource management and use. We review prior studies dealing with Pfiesteria, discuss our field research, and conclude with recommendations for applying a holistic approach to the study of blooms and related environmental problems.