Summer Phytoplankton Assemblages and Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms in Freshwaters of New Jersey

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-27-2023

Journal / Book Title

Northeastern Naturalist

Abstract

Phytoplankton assemblages are of great importance as indicators of water quality. However, knowledge of New Jersey freshwater phytoplankton assemblages is very limited. We collected a total of 196 samples between June and October each year from 2016 to 2019 and analyzed them for water-quality parameters, microcystins, and phytoplankton community composition. We documented a total of 91 phytoplankton taxa. The cyanophytes were the most dominant phytoplankton group statewide and by ecoregion, with Synechococcus being the most frequently observed cyanophyte. Fluorescence of phycocyanin significantly correlated with cyanobacterial cell density and microcystins, suggesting phycocyanin can be used as a proxy for estimating harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCB) conditions. The results of this study provide insight into the freshwater phytoplankton communities during the HCB season and their relationship with water-quality conditions in New Jersey.

DOI

10.1656/045.030.0301

Journal ISSN / Book ISBN

85207809952 (Scopus)

Published Citation

Caraballo, Y. A., & Wu, M. (2023). Summer phytoplankton assemblages and harmful cyanobacterial blooms in freshwaters of new jersey. Northeastern Naturalist, 30(3). https://doi.org/10.1656/045.030.0301

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