Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir
Cyanobacterial harmful algal proliferations (cyanoHAPs) are increasingly associated with dog and livestock deaths when benthic mats break free of their substrate and float to the surface. Fatalities have been linked to neurotoxicosis from anatoxins, potent alkaloids produced by certain genera of fil...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Toxins |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/16/2/91 |
| _version_ | 1797296887024320512 |
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| author | Katherine A. Perri Brent J. Bellinger Matt P. Ashworth Schonna R. Manning |
| author_facet | Katherine A. Perri Brent J. Bellinger Matt P. Ashworth Schonna R. Manning |
| author_sort | Katherine A. Perri |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cyanobacterial harmful algal proliferations (cyanoHAPs) are increasingly associated with dog and livestock deaths when benthic mats break free of their substrate and float to the surface. Fatalities have been linked to neurotoxicosis from anatoxins, potent alkaloids produced by certain genera of filamentous cyanobacteria. After numerous reports of dog illnesses and deaths at a popular recreation site on Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas in late summer 2019, water and floating mat samples were collected from several sites along the reservoir. Water quality parameters were measured and mat samples were maintained for algal isolation and DNA identification. Samples were also analyzed for cyanobacterial toxins using LC-MS. Dihydroanatoxin-a was detected in mat materials from two of the four sites (0.6–133 ng/g wet weight) while water samples remained toxin-free over the course of the sampling period; no other cyanobacterial toxins were detected. DNA sequencing analysis of cyanobacterial isolates yielded a total of 11 genera, including <i>Geitlerinema</i>, <i>Tyconema</i>, <i>Pseudanabaena</i>, and <i>Phormidium</i>/<i>Microcoleus</i>, taxa known to produce anatoxins, including dihydroanatoxin, among other cyanotoxins. Analyses indicate that low daily upriver dam discharge, higher TP and NO<sub>3</sub> concentrations, and day of the year were the main parameters associated with the presence of toxic floating cyanobacterial mats. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:12:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aa997a6345454e5e9d624a6b32736cc3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6651 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T22:12:19Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Toxins |
| spelling | doaj.art-aa997a6345454e5e9d624a6b32736cc32024-02-23T15:36:34ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512024-02-011629110.3390/toxins16020091Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas ReservoirKatherine A. Perri0Brent J. Bellinger1Matt P. Ashworth2Schonna R. Manning3Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Biscayne Bay Campus, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st St., North Miami, FL 33181, USAWatershed Protection Department, City of Austin, 505 Barton Springs Road, 11th Floor, Austin, TX 78704, USAUTEX Culture Collection of Algae, College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas, Austin 204 W 24th Street, Austin, TX 78701, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Institute of Environment, Biscayne Bay Campus, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st St., North Miami, FL 33181, USACyanobacterial harmful algal proliferations (cyanoHAPs) are increasingly associated with dog and livestock deaths when benthic mats break free of their substrate and float to the surface. Fatalities have been linked to neurotoxicosis from anatoxins, potent alkaloids produced by certain genera of filamentous cyanobacteria. After numerous reports of dog illnesses and deaths at a popular recreation site on Lady Bird Lake, Austin, Texas in late summer 2019, water and floating mat samples were collected from several sites along the reservoir. Water quality parameters were measured and mat samples were maintained for algal isolation and DNA identification. Samples were also analyzed for cyanobacterial toxins using LC-MS. Dihydroanatoxin-a was detected in mat materials from two of the four sites (0.6–133 ng/g wet weight) while water samples remained toxin-free over the course of the sampling period; no other cyanobacterial toxins were detected. DNA sequencing analysis of cyanobacterial isolates yielded a total of 11 genera, including <i>Geitlerinema</i>, <i>Tyconema</i>, <i>Pseudanabaena</i>, and <i>Phormidium</i>/<i>Microcoleus</i>, taxa known to produce anatoxins, including dihydroanatoxin, among other cyanotoxins. Analyses indicate that low daily upriver dam discharge, higher TP and NO<sub>3</sub> concentrations, and day of the year were the main parameters associated with the presence of toxic floating cyanobacterial mats.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/16/2/91freshwater cyanobacteriacyanotoxinsdihydroanatoxin-aharmful algal proliferationsfreshwater ecology |
| spellingShingle | Katherine A. Perri Brent J. Bellinger Matt P. Ashworth Schonna R. Manning Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir Toxins freshwater cyanobacteria cyanotoxins dihydroanatoxin-a harmful algal proliferations freshwater ecology |
| title | Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir |
| title_full | Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir |
| title_fullStr | Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir |
| title_short | Environmental Factors Impacting the Development of Toxic Cyanobacterial Proliferations in a Central Texas Reservoir |
| title_sort | environmental factors impacting the development of toxic cyanobacterial proliferations in a central texas reservoir |
| topic | freshwater cyanobacteria cyanotoxins dihydroanatoxin-a harmful algal proliferations freshwater ecology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/16/2/91 |
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