The Lake Erie HABs Grab: A binational collaboration to characterize the western basin cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms at an unprecedented high-resolution spatial scale

ABSTRACTLittle is known about the molecular and physiological function of co-occurring microbes within freshwater cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs). To address this, community metatranscriptomes collected from the western basin of Lake Erie during August 2012 were examined. Using sequence data, we tested the hypothesis that the activity of the microbial community members is independent of community structure. Predicted metabolic and physiological functional profiles from spatially distinct metatranscriptomes were determined to be ≥90% similar between sites. Targeted analysis ofMicrocystis aeruginosa, the historical causative agent of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms over the past ∼20 years, as well as analysis ofPlanktothrix agardhiiandAnabaena cylindrica, revealed ongoing transcription of genes involved in microcystin toxin synthesis as well as the acquisition of both nitrogen and phosphorus, nutrients often implicated as independent bottom-up drivers of eutrophication in aquatic systems. Transcription of genes involved in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and metabolism also provided support for the alternate hypothesis that high-pH conditions and dense algal biomass result in CO2-limiting conditions that further favor cyanobacterial dominance. Additionally, the presence ofMicrocystis-specific cyanophage sequences provided preliminary evidence of possible top-down virus-mediated control of cHAB populations. Overall, these data provide insight into the complex series of constraints associated withMicrocystisblooms that dominate the western basin of Lake Erie during summer months, demonstrating that multiple environmental factors work to shape the microbial community.

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Landsat 8 Virtual Orange Band for Mapping Cyanobacterial Blooms

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs12050868 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 868 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Abhishek Kumar ◽

Deepak R. Mishra ◽

Nirav Ilango

Keyword(s):

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Lake Erie ◽

Cyanobacterial Bloom ◽

Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽

Landsat 8 ◽

Western Basin ◽

Accessory Pigment ◽

Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Best Fit

The Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) has a panchromatic band (503–676 nm) that can be used to derive a novel virtual orange band (590–635 nm) by using the multispectral green band and red band components. The orange band is useful for the accurate detection and quantification of phycocyanin (PC), an accessory pigment in toxin-producing cyanobacterial blooms, because of the specific light absorption characteristics of PC around 600–625 nm. In this study, we compared the Landsat 8 OLI’s and Sentinel-3 Ocean and Land Color Instrument’s (OLCI) derived orange band reflectance and PC products corresponding to a same-date overpass during a severe cyanobacterial bloom in Lake Erie, USA. The goal was to determine if the OLI’s virtual orange band can produce results equivalent to the OLCI’s actual orange band. Band-by-band match-ups used the OLI’s top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance versus TOA reflectance from the OLCI, and surface reflectance (SR) from the OLI versus SR from the OLCI. A significant correlation was observed between the OLI’s and OLCI’s derived orange band TOA reflectance (R2 = 0.86; p < 0.001; NRMSE = 9.01%) and orange band SR (R2 = 0.93; p < 0.001; NRMSE = 20.23%). The PC map produced using the best-fit empirical models from both sensors showed similar PC spatial patterns and concentration levels in the western basin of Lake Erie. The results from this research are particularly important for the study of smaller inland waterbodies with the 30 m resolution of the OLI, which cannot be studied with the 300 m resolution of OLCI data, and for analyzing historical bloom events before the launch of the OLCI. Although more analysis and validation need to be conducted, this study opens up Landsat 8’s applicability in research on cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs).

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Satellite monitoring of harmful algal blooms in the Western Basin of Lake Erie: A 20-year time-series

Journal of Great Lakes Research ◽

10.1016/j.jglr.2019.01.005 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 508-521 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Michael J. Sayers ◽

Amanda G. Grimm ◽

Robert A. Shuchman ◽

Karl R. Bosse ◽

Gary L. Fahnenstiel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Lake Erie ◽

Satellite Monitoring ◽

Western Basin

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The Use of Sentinel-3 Imagery to Monitor Cyanobacterial Blooms

Environments ◽

10.3390/environments6060060 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. 60 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Igor Ogashawara

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Lake Erie ◽

Water Governance ◽

Spectral Band ◽

Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽

Chl A ◽

Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

New Algorithms

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CHABs) have been a concern for aquatic systems, especially those used for water supply and recreation. Thus, the monitoring of CHABs is essential for the establishment of water governance policies. Recently, remote sensing has been used as a tool to monitor CHABs worldwide. Remote monitoring of CHABs relies on the optical properties of pigments, especially the phycocyanin (PC) and chlorophyll-a (chl-a). The goal of this study is to evaluate the potential of recent launch the Ocean and Land Color Instrument (OLCI) on-board the Sentinel-3 satellite to identify PC and chl-a. To do this, OLCI images were collected over the Western part of Lake Erie (U.S.A.) during the summer of 2016, 2017, and 2018. When comparing the use of traditional remote sensing algorithms to estimate PC and chl-a, none was able to accurately estimate both pigments. However, when single and band ratios were used to estimate these pigments, stronger correlations were found. These results indicate that spectral band selection should be re-evaluated for the development of new algorithms for OLCI images. Overall, Sentinel 3/OLCI has the potential to be used to identify PC and chl-a. However, algorithm development is needed.

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Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms are a biological disturbance to Western Lake Erie bacterial communities

Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1111/1462-2920.13640 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 1149-1162 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

Michelle A. Berry ◽

Timothy W. Davis ◽

Rose M. Cory ◽

Melissa B. Duhaime ◽

Thomas H. Johengen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Communities ◽

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Lake Erie ◽

Western Lake ◽

Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Western Lake Erie

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Monitoring cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms by unmanned aerial vehicles in aquatic ecosystems

Environmental Science Water Research & Technology ◽

10.1039/d0ew00830c ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alejo Silvarrey Barruffa ◽

Álvaro Pardo ◽

Robert Faggian ◽

Victor Sposito

Keyword(s):

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ◽

Spatial Scale ◽

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Cyanobacterial Bloom ◽

Risk Assessments ◽

Aerial Vehicles ◽

Cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms

Cyanobacterial bloom changes in spatial scale and variability can be partially addressed using UAVs, achieving efficient and accurate risk assessments.

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Nitrogen cycling in Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie: oscillations between strong and weak export and implications for harmful algal blooms

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-15-2891-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (9) ◽

pp. 2891-2907 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Kateri R. Salk ◽

George S. Bullerjahn ◽

Robert Michael L. McKay ◽

Justin D. Chaffin ◽

Nathaniel E. Ostrom

Keyword(s):

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Lake Erie ◽

N Uptake ◽

N Fixation ◽

N Budget ◽

N2o Production ◽

N Removal ◽

Uptake Rates ◽

N Loading

Abstract. Recent global water quality crises point to an urgent need for greater understanding of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) and their drivers. Nearshore areas of Lake Erie such as Sandusky Bay may become seasonally limited by nitrogen (N) and are characterized by distinct cHAB compositions (i.e., Planktothrix over Microcystis). This study investigated phytoplankton N uptake pathways, determined drivers of N depletion, and characterized the N budget in Sandusky Bay. Nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) uptake, N fixation, and N removal processes were quantified by stable isotopic approaches. Dissimilatory N reduction was a relatively modest N sink, with denitrification, anammox, and N2O production accounting for 84, 14, and 2 % of sediment N removal, respectively. Phytoplankton assimilation was the dominant N uptake mechanism, and NO3- uptake rates were higher than NH4+ uptake rates. Riverine N loading was sometimes insufficient to meet assimilatory and dissimilatory demands, but N fixation alleviated this deficit. N fixation made up 23.7–85.4 % of total phytoplankton N acquisition and indirectly supports Planktothrix blooms. However, N fixation rates were surprisingly uncorrelated with NO3- or NH4+ concentrations. Owing to temporal separation in sources and sinks of N to Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay oscillates between a conduit and a filter of downstream N loading to Lake Erie, delivering extensively recycled forms of N during periods of low export. Drowned river mouths such as Sandusky Bay are mediators of downstream N loading, but climate-change-induced increases in precipitation and N loading will likely intensify N export from these systems.

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