Guiding principles for preventing and mitigating cyanobacteria blooms: integrating nutrient limitation and sediment redox science into watershed management

Section 1: Publication

Publication Type

Authorship

Molot L, Schiff S., Venkiteswaran J., Baulch H, Higgins S., Zastepa A, Verschoor M., Walters D. (2020

Title

Guiding principles for preventing and mitigating cyanobacteria blooms: integrating nutrient limitation and sediment redox science into watershed management

Year

2020

Publication Outlet

University of Toronto Uploads

DOI

No DOI Available

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ISSN

Citation

Molot L, Schiff S., Venkiteswaran J., Baulch H, Higgins S., Zastepa A, Verschoor M., Walters D. (2020) Guiding principles for preventing and mitigating cyanobacteria blooms: integrating nutrient limitation and sediment redox science into watershed management. University of Toronto Uploads https://torontorap.ca/app/uploads/2020/06/4-Toronto-RAP_2018-Science-Seminar_Guiding-Principles-Preventing-Cyanobacteria-Blooms.pdf.

Abstract

Principles:

1, Low phosphorus (P) concentrations and inputs ensure low aquatic productivity and biomass.

2, Release of ferrous iron, Fe(II), from anoxic sediments into overlying water triggers dominance of N2-fixing and non-fixing cyanobacteria over eukaryotic competitors across trophic status range.

3, Benchtop N removal experiments and Lake 227 experiments show that blooms cannot be starved of N when trace metal cofactors Fe and Mo for nitrogenase (N2 fixing enzyme) are sufficient because N2 pool is inexhaustible. N2 fixation is an efficient process.

4, Changing climate will promote cyanobacteria blooms, especially in temperate regions.

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