IMOTOX - Identification and Monitoring of Toxic Cyanobacteria

Abstract

Blooms of harmful cyanobacteria have been shown to increase in both frequency and severity due to global warming, particularly through increased nutrient loads at extreme weather events with elevated winter/spring rainfall and flushing events followed by extended periods of summer drought. These blooms threaten our shrinking freshwater resources in several ways: By increasing turbidity and consequently depriving submerged plants of light they suppress invertebrate and fish habitats and can thus affect biodiversity. On the other hand, release of cyanotoxins during blooms can cause problems for fisheries, drinking water reservoirs as well as recreational water activities. This project aims to develop a monitoring and early warning system for cyanobacterial blooms, and study factors that influence bloom formation, toxicity and collapse. This will be achieved through a close interaction of molecular microbiology, analytical chemistry and remote sensing technology. The early detection of the rise of potentially harmful cyanobacteria in freshwater lakes will be achieved by remote sensing, followed by a targeted molecular, microbial and chemical verification which in turn will allow time for taking appropriate counter measures.