Tropical cyanobacterial blooms: A review of prevalence, problem taxa, toxins and influencing environmental factors

Mowe, MAD; Mitrovic, SM; Lim, RP; Furey, A; Yeo, DCJ

Tropical cyanobacterial blooms: A review of prevalence, problem taxa, toxins and influencing environmental factors

Mowe, MAD Mitrovic, SM

Lim, RP Furey, A Yeo, DCJ

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Limnology, 2015, 74 (2), pp. 205 - 224
Issue Date:: 2015-12-30

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Mowe, MAD	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mitrovic, SM https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5528-2215	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lim, RP	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Furey, A	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Yeo, DCJ	en_US
dc.date.issued	2015-12-30	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Limnology, 2015, 74 (2), pp. 205 - 224	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1129-5767	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/35917
dc.description.abstract	© 2015, Page Press Publications. All rights reserved. Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are a major issue in freshwater systems in many countries. The potentially toxic species and their ecological causes are likely to be different in tropical zones from those in temperate water bodies; however, studies on tropical toxic cyanobacterial blooms are sporadic and currently there is no global synthesis. In this review, we examined published information on tropical cyanobacterial bloom occurrence and toxin production to investigate patterns in their growth and distribution. Microcystis was the most frequently occurring bloom genus throughout tropical Asia, Africa and Central America, while Cylindrospermopsis and Anabaena blooms occurred in various locations in tropical Australia, America and Africa. Microcystis blooms were more prevalent during the wet season while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more prevalent during the dry period. Microcystin was the most encountered toxin throughout the tropics. A meta-analysis of tropical cyanobacterial blooms showed that Microcystis blooms were more associated with higher total nitrogen concentrations, while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more associated with higher maximum temperatures. Meta-analysis also showed a positive linear relationship between levels of microcystin and N:P (nitrate:phosphate) ratio. Tropical African Microcystis blooms were found to have the lowest microcystin levels in relation to biomass and N:P (nitrate:phosphate) compared to tropical Asian, Australian and American blooms. There was also no significant correlation between microcystin concentration and cell concentration for tropical African blooms as opposed to tropical Asian and American blooms. Our review illustrates that some cyanobacteria and toxins are more prevalent in tropical areas. While some tropical countries have considerable information regarding toxic blooms, others have few or no reported studies.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Limnology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.4081/jlimnol.2014.1005	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Marine Biology & Hydrobiology	en_US
dc.title	Tropical cyanobacterial blooms: A review of prevalence, problem taxa, toxins and influencing environmental factors	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	74	en_US
utslib.for	039901 Environmental Chemistry (incl. Atmospheric Chemistry)	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	74	en_US

Abstract:

© 2015, Page Press Publications. All rights reserved. Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are a major issue in freshwater systems in many countries. The potentially toxic species and their ecological causes are likely to be different in tropical zones from those in temperate water bodies; however, studies on tropical toxic cyanobacterial blooms are sporadic and currently there is no global synthesis. In this review, we examined published information on tropical cyanobacterial bloom occurrence and toxin production to investigate patterns in their growth and distribution. Microcystis was the most frequently occurring bloom genus throughout tropical Asia, Africa and Central America, while Cylindrospermopsis and Anabaena blooms occurred in various locations in tropical Australia, America and Africa. Microcystis blooms were more prevalent during the wet season while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more prevalent during the dry period. Microcystin was the most encountered toxin throughout the tropics. A meta-analysis of tropical cyanobacterial blooms showed that Microcystis blooms were more associated with higher total nitrogen concentrations, while Cylindrospermopsis blooms were more associated with higher maximum temperatures. Meta-analysis also showed a positive linear relationship between levels of microcystin and N:P (nitrate:phosphate) ratio. Tropical African Microcystis blooms were found to have the lowest microcystin levels in relation to biomass and N:P (nitrate:phosphate) compared to tropical Asian, Australian and American blooms. There was also no significant correlation between microcystin concentration and cell concentration for tropical African blooms as opposed to tropical Asian and American blooms. Our review illustrates that some cyanobacteria and toxins are more prevalent in tropical areas. While some tropical countries have considerable information regarding toxic blooms, others have few or no reported studies.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/35917