Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes

Lake cyanobacteria can overgrow and form blooms, often releasing life-threatening toxins. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are typically caused by excess nutrients and high temperatures, but recent observations of cyanobacteria beneath the ice in boreal lakes suggest that the dynamics are more complex. T...

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Main Authors: Guillaume Grosbois, Tasnim Anjum Mou, Miguel Montoro Girona
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Heliyon
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167187
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author Guillaume Grosbois
Tasnim Anjum Mou
Miguel Montoro Girona
author_facet Guillaume Grosbois
Tasnim Anjum Mou
Miguel Montoro Girona
author_sort Guillaume Grosbois
collection DOAJ
description Lake cyanobacteria can overgrow and form blooms, often releasing life-threatening toxins. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are typically caused by excess nutrients and high temperatures, but recent observations of cyanobacteria beneath the ice in boreal lakes suggest that the dynamics are more complex. This study investigates the seasonal dynamics of HABs in boreal lakes and identifies their driving factors. We study cyanobacteria assemblages in two boreal lakes in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Quebec, Canada): Lake Fortune, noted for its under-ice cyanobacteria, and Lake Beauchamp, which has experienced recurrent summer-only cyanobacterial blooms. From June 2021 to July 2022, we identified monthly cyanobacterial communities and estimated water nutrients, organic carbon, temperature, oxygen, and pH. Cyanobacterial communities were dominated by the genus Planktothrix in Lake Fortune, and this genus was in a bloom state for each month of the year. Cyanobacterial abundance was highest (210 000 cells/mL) in November and lowest (28 000 cells/mL) in March. The abundance of Planktothrix correlated with total nitrogen and phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon concentrations. Planktothrix dominated even under ice cover, because of its ability to thrive in low-light and low phosphorus conditions. In Lake Beauchamp, Aphanothece was found throughout the year, highest (27 800 cells/mL) in August and lowest (2100 cells/mL) in March. In Lake Beauchamp, cyanobacterial blooms correlated with total dissolved phosphorus, nitrogen and organic carbon concentrations during summer and fall. The dominance of Aphanothece was especially pronounced during the summer and fall. Our study provides new knowledge about the seasonal dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms to help guide the future management of HABs in boreal lakes.
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spelling doaj-art-1f31e080b72e4e589316c404fe808ec62024-12-19T10:55:54ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402024-12-011024e40687Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakesGuillaume Grosbois0Tasnim Anjum Mou1Miguel Montoro Girona2Groupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC Abitibi (GREMA), Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 341 Rue Principale N, Amos, QC, J9T 2L8, Canada; Group for Interuniversity Research in Limnology and Aquatic Environments (GRIL), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, Canada; Corresponding author. Groupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC Abitibi (GREMA), Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 341 Rue Principale N, Amos, QC, J9T 2L8, Canada.Groupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC Abitibi (GREMA), Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 341 Rue Principale N, Amos, QC, J9T 2L8, Canada; Group for Interuniversity Research in Limnology and Aquatic Environments (GRIL), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3C 3J7, CanadaGroupe de Recherche en Écologie de la MRC Abitibi (GREMA), Institut de Recherche sur les Forêts, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, 341 Rue Principale N, Amos, QC, J9T 2L8, Canada; Grupo de Análisis y Planificación del Medio Natural, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, SpainLake cyanobacteria can overgrow and form blooms, often releasing life-threatening toxins. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are typically caused by excess nutrients and high temperatures, but recent observations of cyanobacteria beneath the ice in boreal lakes suggest that the dynamics are more complex. This study investigates the seasonal dynamics of HABs in boreal lakes and identifies their driving factors. We study cyanobacteria assemblages in two boreal lakes in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Quebec, Canada): Lake Fortune, noted for its under-ice cyanobacteria, and Lake Beauchamp, which has experienced recurrent summer-only cyanobacterial blooms. From June 2021 to July 2022, we identified monthly cyanobacterial communities and estimated water nutrients, organic carbon, temperature, oxygen, and pH. Cyanobacterial communities were dominated by the genus Planktothrix in Lake Fortune, and this genus was in a bloom state for each month of the year. Cyanobacterial abundance was highest (210 000 cells/mL) in November and lowest (28 000 cells/mL) in March. The abundance of Planktothrix correlated with total nitrogen and phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon concentrations. Planktothrix dominated even under ice cover, because of its ability to thrive in low-light and low phosphorus conditions. In Lake Beauchamp, Aphanothece was found throughout the year, highest (27 800 cells/mL) in August and lowest (2100 cells/mL) in March. In Lake Beauchamp, cyanobacterial blooms correlated with total dissolved phosphorus, nitrogen and organic carbon concentrations during summer and fall. The dominance of Aphanothece was especially pronounced during the summer and fall. Our study provides new knowledge about the seasonal dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms to help guide the future management of HABs in boreal lakes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167187Boreal lakesHarmful algal bloomsIce coverPhosphorusPlanktothrixWinter bloom
spellingShingle Guillaume Grosbois
Tasnim Anjum Mou
Miguel Montoro Girona
Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
Heliyon
Boreal lakes
Harmful algal blooms
Ice cover
Phosphorus
Planktothrix
Winter bloom
title Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
title_full Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
title_fullStr Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
title_full_unstemmed Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
title_short Cyanobacteria in winter: Seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
title_sort cyanobacteria in winter seasonal dynamics of harmful algal blooms and their driving factors in boreal lakes
topic Boreal lakes
Harmful algal blooms
Ice cover
Phosphorus
Planktothrix
Winter bloom
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024167187
work_keys_str_mv AT guillaumegrosbois cyanobacteriainwinterseasonaldynamicsofharmfulalgalbloomsandtheirdrivingfactorsinboreallakes
AT tasnimanjummou cyanobacteriainwinterseasonaldynamicsofharmfulalgalbloomsandtheirdrivingfactorsinboreallakes
AT miguelmontorogirona cyanobacteriainwinterseasonaldynamicsofharmfulalgalbloomsandtheirdrivingfactorsinboreallakes