Insight into how environmental change determines the production and distribution of cyanobacterial toxins is necessary for risk assessment. Management guidelines currently focus on hepatotoxins (microcystins). Increasing attention is given to other classes, such as neurotoxins (e.g., anatoxin-a) and cytotoxins (e.g., cylindrospermopsin) due to their potency. Most studies examine the relationship between individual toxin variants and environmental factors, such as nutrients, temperature and light. In summer 2015, we collected samples across Europe to investigate the effect of nutrient and temperature gradients on the variability of toxin production at a continental scale. Direct and indirect effects of temperature were the main drivers of the spatial distribution in the toxins produced by the cyanobacterial community, the toxin concentrations and toxin quota. Generalized linear models showed that a Toxin Diversity Index (TDI) increased with latitude, while it decreased with water stability. Increases in TDI were explained through a significant increase in toxin variants such as MC-YR, anatoxin and cylindrospermopsin, accompanied by a decreasing presence of MC-LR. While global warming continues, the direct and indirect effects of increased lake temperatures will drive changes in the distribution of cyanobacterial toxins in Europe, potentially promoting selection of a few highly toxic species or strains.
Under ongoing climate change and increasing anthropogenic activity, which continuously challenge ecosystem resilience, an in-depth understanding of ecological processes is urgently needed. Lakes, as providers of numerous ecosystem services, face multiple stressors that threaten their functioning. Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are a persistent problem resulting from nutrient pollution and climate-change induced stressors, like poor transparency, increased water temperature and enhanced stratification. Consistency in data collection and analysis methods is necessary to achieve fully comparable datasets and for statistical validity, avoiding issues linked to disparate data sources. The European Multi Lake Survey (EMLS) in summer 2015 was an initiative among scientists from 27 countries to collect and analyse lake physical, chemical and biological variables in a fully standardized manner. This database includes in-situ lake variables along with nutrient, pigment and cyanotoxin data of 369 lakes in Europe, which were centrally analysed in dedicated laboratories. Publishing the EMLS methods and dataset might inspire similar initiatives to study across large geographic areas that will contribute to better understanding lake responses in a changing environment.
SUMMARYIn this study, we have analyzed superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) activities, biomass accumulation and chlorophyll-a content in the Arthrospira platensis-M2 strain grown at different concentrations of zinc (Zn), tin (Sn) and mercury (Hg). We found that there is a close relationship between chlorophyll-a content and biomass accumulation in A. platensis-M2 strain as a result of Zn, Sn and Hg exposures. Sn was found to be the most toxic heavy metal among others because of the continious inhibition of both biomass and chlorophyll-a accumulation at 500 and 1000 μg mL −1 concentrations after the third day of the study, while they represented continuous increases at each Zn and Hg concentration over 7 days. Lower concentrations of Zn and Sn stimulate SOD and GR activities remarkably, probably due to oxidative stress caused by heavy metal toxicity. APX activity was significantly lowered by higher concentrations of the three metals used in this study. Our results suggest that higher heavy metal concentrations inhibited SOD, APX and GR activities but biomass and chlorophylla accumulation endured in a time-dependent manner, possibly due to some different defence mechanisms, which remain to be investigated.
The aim of this study was to determine the spatial and temporal variation of phytoplankton and water quality in response to the hydrological regime in an isolated floodplain lake (North Mollaköy Lake) of the Sakarya River. Variations in the composition, biomass and functional groups of phytoplankton and environmental parameters were monthly analyzed in subsurface samples collected from the pelagic zone at four stations from July 2012 to June 2013. A total of 109 taxa were identified, and the species which contributed the most to the phytoplankton biomass were grouped into 14 functional groups (FGs). The distribution of FGs was linked to the transition (T1 and T2), high (HW) and low (LW) water periods in North Mollaköy Lake. FGs J, MP, N, G, X1, X2, Y, W1, W2, S1, H1, B and C were the contributors to the phytoplankton biomass during the low-water period (LW) and the transition periods (T1 and T2), while Lo contributed the most during the high-water period (HW). RDA revealed that the most important factor affecting the temporal distribution of FGs was the water discharge and that there are
Azadirachtin (Aza) used as insecticide due to inhibiting growth of insects and preventing them from feeding on plants. To understand the effects of contamination of this insecticide on phototrophs, and to determine the responses of these organisms against these insecticides are extremely important in understanding how the ecosystem is affected. In this study, chlorophyll-a amount, OD 560 and antioxidant parameters (total SOD, APX, GR, Proline, MDA and H2O2) were determined in order to understand the effect of Aza on Arthrospira platensis Gomont. Aza was applied between 0–20 μg mL−1 concentrations for 7 days in the study. Enzyme analysis was conducted at the end of the 7th day. There was a statistically significant decrease in the absorbance of OD560 and the chlorophyll-a content in A. platensis cultures exposed to the Aza (0–20 μg mL−1) during 7 days due to the increase in pesticide levels. SOD activity decreased at 8, 16 and 20 μg mL−1 concentrations; GR enzyme activity showed a significant decrease compared to the control at a concentration of 20 μg mL−1. APX activity did not change significantly compared to control. The MDA content increased significantly at 16 and 20 μg mL−1 concentrations. The H2O2 content significantly increased at 12, 16 and 20 μg mL−1 concentrations (p < 0.05) while the free proline content decreased at 4 μg mL−1 concentration (p < 0.05). As a result, regarding the Aza concentrations used in this study may be a step to prevent pesticide pollution in the environment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.