Persistent Cyanobacteria Blooms in Artificial Water Bodies—An Effect of Environmental Conditions or the Result of Anthropogenic Change

Abstract

Algal blooms are an emerging problem. The massive development of phytoplankton is driven partly by the anthropogenic eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and the expansion of toxic cyanobacteria in planktonic communities in temperate climate zones by the continual increase in global temperature. Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) not only disturb the ecological balance of the ecosystem, but they also prevent the use of waterbodies by humans. This study examines the cause of an unusual, persistent bloom in a recreational, flow-through reservoir; the findings emphasize the role played by the river supplying the reservoir in the formation of its massive cyanobacterial bloom. Comprehensive ecosystem-based environmental studies were performed, including climate change investigation, hydrochemical analysis, and bio-assessment of the ecological state of the river/reservoir, together with monitoring the cyanobacteria content of phytoplankton. Our findings show that the persistent and dominant biomass of Microcystis was related to the N/P ratio, while the presence of Aphanizomenon and Dolichospermum was associated with the high-temperature end electric conductivity of water. Together with the increase in global temperature, the massive and persistent cyanobacterial bloom appears to be maintained by the inflow of biogenic compounds carried by the river and the high electric conductivity of water. Even at the beginning of the phenomenon, the reservoir water already contained cyanobacterial toxins, which excluded its recreational use for about half the year.