Issue no. 158 - Eutrophication, Cyanobacteria, and Cyanotoxins Newsletter

From the Mainstream Media / Dans les médias grand public

Australia: Final report on Lake Bullen Merri algae ultrasonic trial

“An 18-month trial has not solved blue green algae issues in Lake Bullen Merri. The project tested ultrasonic equipment intended to break up algae cells.”

Slovenia: LIFE Stop CyanoBloom

“The objective of the LIFE Stop CyanoBloom project was to demonstrate a new system for triggering lysis (break down) of cyanobacteria, decreasing its concentration and preventing mass blooming, to improve the ecological status of water bodies.”

Canada: Canadian Government Launches Canada Water Agency, Invests $650M in Freshwater Action Plan

“The Government of Canada is taking unprecedented action by launching the Canada Water Agency and investing $650 million over 10 years in the Freshwater Action Plan to protect and restore water quality and ecosystem health in major watersheds across the country.”

Illinois, USA: Illinois farmers struggle to balance livelihoods with reducing agricultural runoff, a major contributor to Gulf dead zone

“The state’s latest biennial report on this nutrient pollution, released in December, shows a 5% increase in nitrogen levels and a 35% increase in phosphorus levels originating from Illinois compared with a base line period from 1980 to 1996.”

Rising Concerns Over Environmental Impact of Phosphorus

“At the upcoming sixth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6), the worlds top decision-making body on the environment, delegates from UN Member States are expected to discuss how to advance global cooperation around nutrients. In particular, they are slated to explore ways to rein in excess phosphorus in the environment without compromising efforts to end hunger.”

England: 83% of English rivers have evidence of high pollution from sewage and agriculture

“The fishers found that 83% of rivers monitored failed phosphate standards for good ecological status in at least one test, and 44% of site averages for phosphate failed the standard for good ecological status.”

Wisconsin, USA: Wisconsin judge affirms regulators can force factory farms to get pre-emptive pollution permits

“A Wisconsin judge ruled Tuesday that state regulators can force factory farms to obtain permits before they discharge pollutants, ensuring protections continue to apply pre-emptively for lakes, streams and drinking water.”

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From the Scientific Media / Des médias scientifiques :

Remote sensing of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Champlain with a focus on Missisquoi Bay

“A 2-parameter multiple regression model fit the cyanobacterial data well and showed that the interannual variability of blooms in Missisquoi Bay are a function of atmospheric instability and temperature.”

Proliferation and anatoxin production of benthic cyanobacteria associated with canine mortalities along a stream-lake continuum

“Toxin concentration was greatest in cyanobacterial mats growing in the oligotrophic lakeshore environment (maximum measured total anatoxins (ATXs) >20 mg·kg−1 wet weight).”

Contamination of Drinking Water by Cyanotoxins in Reservoirs: An Ecological Study Approach

“Exposure from cyanobacterial blooms can be considered a risk factor for the onset of cancers of the digestive organs.”

Bloom-forming cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates in five Argentinian reservoirs: Multi-year sampling

“Controlling the proliferation of algae and cyanobacteria in reservoirs requires resource management at the watershed level, and in the case of the Itiyuro and El Limón, requires binational management with Bolivia.”

The interplay of low H2O2 doses, lytic cyanophage, and Microcystis aeruginosa: Implications for cyanobacterial bloom control and microcystin production/release

“This study emphasizes that low-dose H2O2 eliminates Microcystis but severely affects phage lysis and MCs release depending on H2O2-induced ROS levels. It is a crucial consideration when using phages to control cyanobacterial blooms with H2O2-induced stress.”

Current Status and Prognosis of Raphidiopsis raciborskii Distribution in Bulgaria as Part of the Southeastern Region of Europe

“The results reveal that the number of lakes with the presence of R. raciborskii (27% of all research lakes) and its contribution to the total phytoplankton biomass, has increased significantly over the last decade.”

How many species of algae are there? A reprise. Four kingdoms, 14 phyla, 63 classes and still growing.

“The next most species-rich phyla are the red algae (7276 living), the green algae (6851 living), the blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria, 5723 living)…”

Shifts in phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in three cyanobacteria-dominated lakes after treatment with hydrogen peroxide

“We conclude that lake treatments with low concentrations of H2O2 can be a successful tool to suppress harmful cyanobacterial blooms, but may negatively affect some of the zooplankton taxa in lakes.”

Upstream nitrogen availability determines the Microcystis salt tolerance and influences microcystins release in brackish water

“Thus, the life history of Microcystis in upstream waters could have a significant impact on its salt tolerance in downstream brackish waters, where the ecological risk of the salt-tolerant Microcystis requires special and careful management in summer at low nitrogen availability.”

The human health effects of harmful algal blooms in Florida: The importance of high resolution data

“Using a difference-in-differences model, our results suggest HABs cause an increase of 23.67 healthcare admissions per zip code per month across four HAB-related diagnoses. This impact is a 3,000% increase over baseline non-bloom times and an increase in monthly healthcare costs of about $250,000 for the entire impacted area.”

River ecological status is shaped by agricultural land use intensity across Europe

“The results provide advice for pan-European management of freshwater ecosystems and highlight the urgent need for more sustainable agriculture.”