The complicated and confusing ecology of microcystis blooms

Authors

Steven W. Wilhelm, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
George S. Bullerjahn, Bowling Green State University
R. Michael L. McKay, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2020

Publication Title

mBio

Volume

11

Issue

3

First Page

1

Keywords

Competition, Cyanobacteria, Harmful algal blooms, Nutrient cycling

Last Page

5

Abstract

Blooms of the toxin-producing cyanobacterium Microcystis are increasing globally, leading to the loss of ecosystem services, threats to human health, as well as the deaths of pets and husbandry animals. While nutrient availability is a well-known driver of algal biomass, the factors controlling “who” is present in fresh waters are more complicated. Microcystis possesses multiple strategies to adapt to temperature, light, changes in nutrient chemistry, herbivory, and parasitism that provide a selective advantage over its competitors. Moreover, its ability to alter ecosystem pH provides it a further advantage that helps exclude many of its planktonic competitors. While decades of nutrient monitoring have provided us with the tools to predict the accumulation of phytoplankton biomass, here, we point to factors on the horizon that may inform us why Microcystis is presently the dominant bloom former in freshwaters around the world.

DOI

10.1128/MBIO.00529-20

ISSN

21612129

E-ISSN

21507511

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Wilhelm, Steven W.; Bullerjahn, George S.; and McKay, R. Michael L.. (2020). The complicated and confusing ecology of microcystis blooms. mBio, 11 (3), 1-5.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/glierpub/549

PubMed ID

32605981