Impacts of environmental factors on the absolute and relative abundances of cyanobacteria and their toxins in Dutch lakes

Harmful cyanobacteria pose a major threat to human and animal health. Their dense summer blooms make many surface waters in the Netherlands unsuitable for recreation. The Dutch water boards have monitoring programs on harmful cyanobacteria, and relevant environmental parameters, in bathing waters. This project aims to further understand the dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms in Dutch lakes. Specifically, we will study how relative and absolute availabilities of carbon, nutrients and light, and temperature determine the relative and absolute abundances of harmful cyanobacteria, and the production of their toxins.

The work will involve substantial data searches (via online data portals), handling and analyses. The work will be primarily supervised by Dedmer van de Waal (NIOO), and closely involve collaboration with Hans Paerl, visiting professor from the University of North Caroline (US), and a team of Dutch cyanobacterial experts, including Lisette de Senerpont Domis (NIOO/AKWA), Miquel Lürling (WUR), Petra Visser (UvA), Jolanda Verspagen (UvA), and Jef Huisman (UvA).

Type of work: Data search and analyses

Period: 3-5 months (somewhere during April-December)