Linking climate change and progressive eutrophication to incidents of clustered animal mortalities in different geographical regions of South Africa

Abstract

The paper highlights results that show a potential shift in certain phytoplankton communities against a background of eutrophication, the authors predict an increase in blooms of cyanophytes and poisoning incidences by previously non dominant species in different geographical climatic regions of South Africa in the near future, if the current trends in climate change continue. This is due to cyanobacterial preference for higher surface water temperature ranges. In addition, the occurrence of cyanobacteria species that have previously been hampered to form blooms due to low temperature and nutrient concentrations, may form mix blooms with existing species which potentially can lead to the simultaneous occurrence of both neuro and hepatic biotoxins in one bloom.