Algae bloom on river
Algae bloom on storm water retention pond in Madison County, IN
Worster Lake at Potato Creek State Park
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasingly a global concern because HABs pose a threat to human and aquatic ecosystem health and cause economic damages. Toxins produced by some species of cyanobacteria (called cyanotoxins) can cause acute and chronic illnesses in humans and pets. Aquatic ecosystem health also is affected by cyanotoxins, as well as low dissolved oxygen concentrations and changes in aquatic food webs caused by an over-abundance of cyanobacteria. Economic damages related to HABs include loss of recreational revenue, decreased property values, and increased drinking-water treatment costs.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been confirmed in inland reservoirs and lakes in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, in the Ohio River, and in Lake Erie. Our research focuses on identifying the potential environmental factors that may drive HAB formation, documenting the effects of changing environmental conditions on HAB occurrence, determining the presence of naturally-occurring microcystin-degrading bacteria, and developing models to estimate toxin concentrations in recreational and drinking-water source waters.
HABs are affected by a complex set of physical, chemical, biological, hydrological, and meteorological conditions, including excessive nutrients, primarily phosphorus and nitrogen. The most frequently proposed hypothesis relating to increased HABs in freshwater is an increase in nutrients from anthropogenic nutrient enrichment (human activities introduce excessive nutrients into a body of water).
An Algal Bloom may be called harmful because of resulting reductions in dissolved oxygen concentrations, alterations in aquatic food webs, unsightly scums along shorelines, production of taste-and-odor compounds that cause unpalatable drinking water and fish flesh, or the production of toxins potent enough to poison aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Many different types of algae can cause harmful algal blooms in freshwater ecosystems. However, the most frequent and severe blooms typically are caused by cyanobacteria, the only freshwater “algae” with the potential for production of toxins potent enough to adversely affect human health (From Graham and others, 2016).
To better understand and predict cyanobacterial toxin production, the USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory (OWML) in Columbus, Ohio, developed the capability to analyze samples by several molecular assays.
Related Projects:
- Using continuous water-quality measurements and discrete data to identify the drivers of HABs in lakes and tailwaters In Kentucky and Indiana
- Using models to estimate microcystin concentrations in Ohio recreational and source waters
- Biodegradation Of Microcystins In Lake Erie Source Waters And Filters From Drinking-Water Plants
Related Projects
Using continuous water-quality measurements and discrete data to identify the drivers of HABs in lakes and tailwaters In Kentucky and Indiana
USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory - Cyanobacteria and toxin gene molecular assays
Using models to estimate microcystin concentrations in Ohio recreational and source waters
Biodegradation Of Microcystins In Lake Erie Source Waters And Filters From Drinking-Water Plants
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (HABs) are increasingly a global concern because HABs pose a threat to human and aquatic ecosystem health and cause economic damages. Toxins produced by some species of cyanobacteria (called cyanotoxins) can cause acute and chronic illnesses in humans and pets. Aquatic ecosystem health also is affected by cyanotoxins, as well as low dissolved oxygen concentrations and changes in aquatic food webs caused by an over-abundance of cyanobacteria. Economic damages related to HABs include loss of recreational revenue, decreased property values, and increased drinking-water treatment costs.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been confirmed in inland reservoirs and lakes in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, in the Ohio River, and in Lake Erie. Our research focuses on identifying the potential environmental factors that may drive HAB formation, documenting the effects of changing environmental conditions on HAB occurrence, determining the presence of naturally-occurring microcystin-degrading bacteria, and developing models to estimate toxin concentrations in recreational and drinking-water source waters.
HABs are affected by a complex set of physical, chemical, biological, hydrological, and meteorological conditions, including excessive nutrients, primarily phosphorus and nitrogen. The most frequently proposed hypothesis relating to increased HABs in freshwater is an increase in nutrients from anthropogenic nutrient enrichment (human activities introduce excessive nutrients into a body of water).
An Algal Bloom may be called harmful because of resulting reductions in dissolved oxygen concentrations, alterations in aquatic food webs, unsightly scums along shorelines, production of taste-and-odor compounds that cause unpalatable drinking water and fish flesh, or the production of toxins potent enough to poison aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Many different types of algae can cause harmful algal blooms in freshwater ecosystems. However, the most frequent and severe blooms typically are caused by cyanobacteria, the only freshwater “algae” with the potential for production of toxins potent enough to adversely affect human health (From Graham and others, 2016).
To better understand and predict cyanobacterial toxin production, the USGS Ohio Water Microbiology Laboratory (OWML) in Columbus, Ohio, developed the capability to analyze samples by several molecular assays.
Related Projects:
- Using continuous water-quality measurements and discrete data to identify the drivers of HABs in lakes and tailwaters In Kentucky and Indiana
- Using models to estimate microcystin concentrations in Ohio recreational and source waters
- Biodegradation Of Microcystins In Lake Erie Source Waters And Filters From Drinking-Water Plants
Related Projects