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University of Nevada, Reno researchers: anatoxin timing differs by species; oxygen/metabolism sensors may aid forecasting
Summary
Researchers presented preliminary results showing different benthic cyanobacteria taxa (Anabaena/Cylindrospermum vs Microcoleus) peak at different times; dissolved‑oxygen based metabolism models may help predict when anatoxin concentrations will rise, and early evidence suggests benthic mats alter invertebrate communities.
Joanna Blaschuck, a researcher at the University of Nevada, Reno, presented preliminary findings from a multi‑year study of benthic anatoxin‑producing cyanobacteria in Northern California rivers.
Blaschuck said the team monitored reaches on the South Fork Eel and other rivers weekly in 2023 and 2024 and combined benthic transect surveys, mat composites, toxin analyses (LC‑MS/MS), microscopy and dissolved‑oxygen sensors used to estimate gross primary production (GPP) in reach footprints. The goal was to test whether phenological forecasts driven by reach metabolism and ecological change could predict the timing of peak anatoxin concentrations.
The researchers found different taxa follow distinct timing patterns: Anabaena‑type mats (often occurring in slow side channels) tended to show a relatively early peak in anatoxin concentration and then decline, while Microcoleus cover often increased later and persisted. Blaschuck said the timing of peaks varied among reaches, limiting the potential for a one‑size‑fits‑all regional forecast but suggesting metabolic declines in autotrophic activity sometimes precede microcoleus proliferation.
The team also sampled benthic macroinvertebrates from mat‑covered rocks and nearby green‑algae rocks and reported preliminary shifts in community composition toward more tolerant taxa (e.g., midges) where dense Microcoleus mats occurred. Blaschuck emphasized the need for more controlled experiments to separate toxin effects from habitat changes created by mats.
She described the work as preliminary and said the group is refining models that combine DO‑derived metabolism estimates with microscopy and toxin results to develop forecasting tools that could inform posting decisions.
