Nutrients and not temperature are the key drivers for cyanobacterial biomass in the Americas

What is it about?

Cyanobacterial blooms have been identified with increasing frequency from many aquatic habitats in the world during recent years. The toxins contained in these blooms threaten supplies of potable water, and, because of the negative effects on fish populations, can imperil subsistence and commercial fisheries and the local economies that depend on them. We studied the main factors related with the biomass of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. We found that it was controlled by phosphorus in a dataset of >450 lakes throughout the Americas, with further control by nitrogen in shallow lakes. There was no relationship between temperature and biomass.

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Why is it important?

Eutrophication, contamination of water by nitrogen and phosphorus, is the main factor related with cyanobacterial blooms.