Using the Modified Redfield Ratio to estimate Harmful Algal Blooms
Date
2017-03-21
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lviv Politechnic Publishing House
Lviv Politechnic Publishing House
Lviv Politechnic Publishing House
Abstract
Many waterbodies across Nova Scotia
(Canada) have been experiencing algal blooms
occurring in large numbers and diversity, without
knowledge or understanding about their causes and
effects. Algal blooms have appeared in Mattatall Lake
(ML) and other lakes of the province in recent years.
ML experienced severe algal blooms in 2013. During
the fall of 2014, massive algal blooms appeared in ML,
and persisted until late December 2014. The blooms
have a pattern of being nontoxic in the summer and
potentially toxic in the fall-winter season, with nutrients
increasing on a monthly basis. This phenomenon is
unusual as algal blooms have not been known to last
until the winter season or coexist with icy conditions.
The dominant species in this bloom was identified to be
Anabaena planctonica (Dolicospermum planctonicum)
with a cell count around 250 000 cells/mL, which may
produce the neurotoxin Anatoxin-a. This cell count is
approximately two and a half times higher than the alert
level 2 guideline from World Health Organization’s
drinking water standards (WHO, 2003).
The goal of this paper is to use an index (Modified
Redfield Ratio, hereafter called MRR) to estimate the
HAB occurrence the Mattatall lake (Nova Scotia,
Canada), served as a pilot site for our pioneering
systematic study in order to evaluate the recent bloom
phenomena in the entire province of Nova Scotia.
Description
Keywords
Cyanobacteria, Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), Modified Redfield Ratio (MRR), Mattatall lake
Citation
Hushchyna K. Using the Modified Redfield Ratio to estimate Harmful Algal Blooms / Kateryna Hushchyna, Tri Nguyen-Quang // Environmental Problems. — Lviv : Lviv Politechnic Publishing House, 2017. — Vol 2. — No 2. — P. 101–108.