Cyanobacterial Blooms: Current Knowledge and New Perspectives

Abstract

Cyanobacteria are ancient prokaryotes responsible for bloom formation in many freshwater resources worldwide. These dense agglomerations are a result of the rise of nutrient input (N and P) or temperature. The toxin content and illness associated with contact impair human health with repercussions in water quality. Produced by a wide variety of cyanobacteria species, CyanoBlooms are in need of a literature review to achieve a global scenario of its current impacts on freshwater resources aiming at changing behaviors towards CyanoBlooms globally and by making communities more resilient to this recurrent problem. With a global distribution, recent data highlight the impacts of climate change on CyanoBlooms occurrence, namely through the rise of temperature and nutrient input from storms and heavy rainfall. With current worldwide regulations based on the enumeration of the nutrient input of freshwater ecosystems, the increase in field monitoring regarding CyanoBlooms occurrence is demanded since evaluation of this parameter may conceal these massive agglomerations resulting in human health episodes and cyanotoxin outbreaks.

Allelopathic Potential of the Cyanotoxins Microcystin-LR and Cylindrospermopsin on Green Algae

“…The eutrophication of the aquatic ecosystems and climate changes associated with global warming has increased the frequency and intensity of the cyanobacterial blooms and related cyanotoxins [ 9 , 19 , 20 , 55 ]. As a result of these changes, the ratio between the mainly represented taxonomic groups of algae and cyanobacteria, forming the phytoplankton in freshwater basins, has also changed in recent years.…”

“…Such interspecies or intraspecies interactions can occur in all aquatic ecosystems and among all groups of primary aquatic producers [ 18 ]. Given the fact that due to climate change there is an increase in the intensity of cyanobacterial blooms worldwide [ 9 , 19 , 20 ] it is important to determine the possible allelopathic effects of cyanotoxins and the affected organisms.…”

Klimakrise: Welche gastroenterologischen Folgeerkrankungen dieses medizinischen Notfalls sollten wir kennen?

“…Ähnlich vermehren sich Blaualgen (Cyanobakterien) verstärkt bei höheren Temperaturen. Vor allem bei massenhaftem Vorkommen (cyano bloom -Algenblüte) können Cyanobakterien durch Bildung von Allergenen und Toxinen nach Hautkontakt oder dem Trinken von verseuchtem Wasser allergische Reaktionen und Durchfallerkrankungen, aber auch schwere Leber-, Nieren-und Nervenschäden verursachen [71,72] Infolge der klimatischen Veränderungen werden entsprechende Erkrankungen künftig nach dem Baden in Binnengewässern oder der Ostsee häufiger zu beobachten sein [73,74].…”

The complicated relationship between the genera Umezakia and Chrysosporum has been resolved

“…Relatively soon, this U. natans was also observed to be toxic as it contained cylindrospermopsin (Harada et al, 1994). As such it is being monitored as part of toxic aquatic blooms (Moreira et al, 2022).…”