[0:34 pm, 23/02/2023] Hafi: Cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins are influenced by a variety of environmental factors. Some of the key factors that affect the production of these blooms and toxins include:
Nutrient levels: Cyanobacteria require nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, to grow and reproduce. Excess nutrients from human activities, such as agricultural and industrial runoff, sewage discharges, and atmospheric deposition, can promote the growth of cyanobacteria, leading to the formation of blooms.
Temperature: Cyanobacteria are able to thrive in warm water environments. As water temperatures rise, cyanobacterial growth rates can increase, leading to more frequent and prolonged blooms.
Cyanobacteria or Blue green bacteria, erstwhile known as Blue-Green Algae (BGA), are a group of gram-negative photosynthetic bacteria. These are micro-organisms which resemble bacteria
in their prokaryotic nature but unlike bacteria, they are not chemosynthetic but oxygen
evolving photosynthetic organisms. Their photosynthetic capability is due to the presence
of essential and accessory photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll-a, (chlorophyll-b absent),
carotenes, xanthophylls and phycoblin pigments namely c-phycocyanin and c-
phycoerythrin. The last two pigments are found only in cyano
Light: Cyanobacteria require light for photosynthesis, and high light intensity can enhance their growth. However, too much light can also cause photoinhibition, which can inhibit their growth.
pH: Cyanobacteria can grow in a wide range of pH conditions, but they generally prefer alkaline conditions. Acidic conditions can inhibit their growth.
Water flow: Cyanobacteria prefer still or slow-moving water. High water flow rates can prevent their growth and the formation of blooms.
Salinity: Cyanobacteria can grow in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but different species have different salinity tolerances.
Turbidity: High levels of suspended solids, such as sediment and organic matter, can decrease light penetration and limit cyanobacterial growth.
Dissolved oxygen: Cyanobacteria can produce oxygen through photosynthesis, but as blooms grow and die off, they can deplete dissolved oxygen levels, leading to hypoxia and anoxia.
These environmental factors can interact with each other in complex ways, and their effects on cyanobacterial blooms and cyanotoxins can vary depending on the specific species of cyanobacteria present, as well as other environmental and biological factors.
[0:35 pm, 23/02/2023] Hafi: nutrient levels; temperature; light; pH; water flow; salinity; turbidity; dissolved oxygen; cyanobacterial blooms; cyanotoxins.
