Global warming and hepatotoxin production by cyanobacteria: What can we learn from experiments?

Global temperature is expected to rise throughout this century, and blooms of cyanobacteria in lakes and estuaries are predicted to increase with the current level of global warming. The potential environmental, economic and sanitation repercussions of these blooms have attracted considerable attent...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water research (Oxford) 2012-04, Vol.46 (5), p.1420-1429
Main Authors: El-Shehawy, Rehab, Gorokhova, Elena, Fernández-Piñas, Francisca, del Campo, Francisca F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aquatic ecosystems
Bacterial Toxins - biosynthesis
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - etiology
Climate Change
Cyanobacteria
economics
estuaries
Food Chain
Global Warming
Harmful Algal Bloom
hepatotoxicity
Hepatotoxins
Humans
lakes
Marine Toxins - biosynthesis
Microcystins - biosynthesis
Microcystins - physiology
Microcystins - toxicity
public health
sanitation
temperature
water management
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Global temperature is expected to rise throughout this century, and blooms of cyanobacteria in lakes and estuaries are predicted to increase with the current level of global warming. The potential environmental, economic and sanitation repercussions of these blooms have attracted considerable attention among the world’s scientific communities, water management agencies and general public. Of particular concern is the worldwide occurrence of hepatotoxic cyanobacteria posing a serious threat to global public health. Here, we highlight plausible effects of global warming on physiological and molecular changes in these cyanobacteria and resulting effects on hepatotoxin production. We also emphasize the importance of understanding the natural biological function(s) of hepatotoxins, various mechanisms governing their synthesis, and climate-driven changes in food-web interactions, if we are to predict consequences of the current and projected levels of global warming for production and accumulation of hepatotoxins in aquatic ecosystems. [Display omitted] ► We discuss the effect of warmer temperature on bloom proliferation by cyanobacteria. ► We discuss the concomitant effect on hepatotoxin production and food-web components. ► We also discuss the putative biological functions of hepatotoxins.
ISSN:0043-1354
1879-2448
1879-2448
DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2011.11.021