Blue-green Algae turning more toxic in the Baltic Sea

Turun Sanomat: Cyanobacteria, also known as the blue-green algae, may turn more poisonous in the future. This is due to the reduction of salinity in the Baltic Sea. A new research conducted by Åbo Akademi and Yrkeshögskolan Novia’s Aronia Institute proves, that poisonous cyanobacterium Anabaena produces poison in fresh water twice as much as in the brackish waters.

Climate change multiplies precipitations, which for its part increases the fresh water flow into the Baltic Sea. Also because the salty inflows from the Danish straits decrease, the salinity in the northern parts of the Baltic Sea has diminished.

The experiments were made in Hankoniemi’s Tvärminne Research Station, where the concentration of salt in the water is between 5 to 6 per mils, and in Pori’s Reposaari, where the salinity is one per mils. Anabaena-algae were more poisonous in one per mils salinity and also grew notably better in it than in the saltier water.

According to the researchers it is not only the toxicity that changes, but also the cyanobacteria’s composition of species. Species that stand better in the fresh water get a competitive advantage compared to the species that thrive in the brackish waters. This can also increase the toxicity of the blue-green algae blooms.

Source: Turun Sanomat 19.4.2011

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