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"I was taken aback by that," LaPointe said. "We don't just have a problem, we have a <br />serious problem." <br />OWNERS RESIST <br />North America's most biodiverse estuary is losing some of its wildlife. <br />Much of the red algae, known as gracilaria, has a toxic residue LaPointe and other <br />researchers think might have killed 145 manatees, more than 50 dolphins and about <br />300 pelicans in the lagoon earlier this year in Brevard County. Manatees munched on <br />the stringy algae when it overtook sea grass, their normal dietary staple. Dolphins and <br />pelicans eat fish that ingest the algae. <br />a <br />a <br />.3 <br />NITROGEN_ISOTOPES <br />Dry season <br />2011 <br />Wet season <br />2011 <br />Wet season <br />2012 <br />Mosquito Banana. North Central -_South <br />Lagoon River Indian River Indian River Indian River <br />Lagoon Lagoon Lagoon Lagoon <br />NOTE Indian River County is m the Central Martin County is in the South. Part of <br />St. Lucie County is in Central and pari is in South. <br />PHOTO BY JIM URICK <br />This chart represents the amount of macroalgae recorded in the Indian <br />River Lagoon during 2011 and 2012. It also shows the amount of <br />macroalgae represented when when sewage is present. <br />Sea grass is a vital part of the lagoon's food web, feeding small fish and mussels larger <br />creatures eat. An estimated 47,000 acres of sea grass has died north of Fort Pierce <br />since 2007, experts say. In areas where it has vanished, most manatees and many fish <br />species have left in search of better pickings, creating dead zones. <br />