Ecology, Physiology and Control of Toxin-Producing Benthic Cyanobacteria

28 & 29 April 2025

Dr. Diego Gonzalez, UNINE

Prof Nicolas Tromas (CARRTEL-INRAE, Thonon-les-Bains, McGill University);

Susie Wood (Co-director Waterways Centre Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand)

Invasive toxin-producing cyanobacteria pose a major threat to freshwater ecosystems. When environmental conditions become favorable or detrimental to their natural enemies, some cyanobacterial strains can multiply rapidly, forming so called "blooms". Cyanobacterial blooms can quickly degrade aquatic ecosystems, altering their trophic structure and functionality, and causing water column deoxygenation leading to fish mortality. They can also alter water quality and heavily impact the economic value of freshwater resources. Harmful blooms are not limited to one region or country, but are becoming fast a global issue with the number of reports increasing all over the world. Some cyanobacteria live suspended in the water column (planktonic cyanobacteria), while others form mats right under the surface (metaphytic cyanobacteria) or grow attached to algae, macrophytes or even other cyanobacteria (epiphytic cyanobacteria); finally, some of them colonize the rocky or sandy substrates of oceans, lakes, or rivers at variable depths (benthic cyanobacteria). While planktonic cyanobacteria have focused the attention of biologists and ecologists, research about primarily substrate-bound (benthic) species is lagging. By combining presentations by experts with a field activity in a study area in which blooms have been studied over three years, the goal of this activity is to provide the participants with the latest scientific knowledge in this issue, as well as discuss with them the role of combining field and experimental work to increase this knowledge.

Activity Program

By combining presentations by experts with field activities in a study area in which blooms have been studied over three years, the goal of this activity is to provide the participants with the latest scientific knowledge in this issue, as well as discuss with them the role of combining field and experimental work to increase this knowledge.

Mornings-The mornings will be dedicated to conferences and discussions around recent articles and problematic cases. The key topics will be the biology of benthic cyanobacteria, cyanotoxins, interactions within cyanobacterial blooms, but also the prevention and mitigation of blooms using citizen science and communication tools.

Afternoons-The afternoons will be dedicated to field work, specifically recognizing and observing benthic cyanobacterial mats, to laboratory techniques to culture, identity and evaluate the toxicity of benthic cyanobacteria.

UNINE UniMail room GB31-GB33

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