A year-long algal bloom along South Australia’s coast has not only destroyed marine life and posed health risks to people and pets: it’s also taking a significant psychological toll on local residents, new research has found.
A University of Adelaide survey of more than 600 South Australians during the peak of the 2025 boom found high levels of “eco-stress” – distress linked to environmental damage – with many participants reporting persistent worry, sadness and feelings of helplessness.
The findings were recently published in Journal of Environmental Psychology.
Lead researcher Dr Brianna Le Busque, Director of the Environmental and Geospatial Science Program at the University of Adelaide, said the findings show that marine environmental crises can have profound impacts on community well-being.
More than 60% of people we surveyed said they thought about the bloom repeatedly or felt that their personal actions wouldn’t make a difference.
More than half reported feeling anxious or fearful, and one in five said it affected their sleep or ability to concentrate. This tells us that the effects of environmental crises extend far beyond visible damage to ecosystems.”
Dr. Brianna Le Busque, Program Director of Environmental Science and Geospatial Science, University of Adelaide
The survey collected responses from 613 residents while the bloom was actively unfolding. In the two weeks prior to the completion of the survey:
- 69% experienced “frequent ruminations,” meaning they couldn’t stop thinking about the bloom
- 63% felt anxiety about personal implications or powerlessness
- 54% reported emotional symptoms such as fear or anxiety
- 20% experienced behavioral disturbances, including sleep difficulties.
Women reported significantly higher levels of ecological stress than men, and people who visited the ocean more often were also more likely to report distress.
Significantly, the bloom severed people’s connection to the ocean – a place many rely on for relaxation and mental well-being. Almost half of those who said they were immediately affected reported stopping recreational activities such as swimming, surfing, walking or fishing.
“For many South Australians, the beach is a place of solace and restoration,” Dr Le Busc said. “When that space is associated with dead marine life, foam and health warnings, it changes how people feel about going there.”
Just under 40% of directly affected participants said their mental health had suffered, describing feelings of sadness, frustration and depression. Some compared seeing washed up marine life to “the death of a loved one”. A third said their distress was specifically related to seeing dead animals along the shoreline.
The study also identified physical health concerns, with 24% reporting problems such as coughing or respiratory irritation after visiting the affected beaches.
Dr Le Busc said the research highlights the need to recognize ecological stress as a legitimate public health concern – particularly as climate-driven marine events, including heat waves and algal blooms, become more frequent.
“We often think about the economic and environmental costs of events like harmful algal blooms,” he said. “But we also have to consider the human costs. These events can disrupt people’s daily lives, their sense of place and their relationship with nature.”
The researchers say that understanding these psychological impacts is crucial to building community resilience, and ensuring mental health support is part of future environmental response planning.
“This bloom showed that when the ocean suffers, so do communities,” Dr Le Busc said.
