Our lakes and rivers are subjected to various pressures that lead to an increase in nutrient levels of water. This promotes the excessive growth of free-floating microalgae the phytoplankton. A high abundance of algae reduces water transparency, and thus the depth where light is available for photosynthesis. As a result, overall oxygen production in water decreases.
Importantly, it is not only the quantity of phytoplankton that determines water quality, but also its composition. The extent of shading and changes in the water’s optical properties depend on the size and shape of the algal cells or colonies. While the size of algae can be determined through microscopic measurements and calculations, reliable estimates for comparing the light-absorbing capacity of algae with different shapes have been lacking until recently.
Thanks to research conducted at the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research’s Institute of Aquatic Ecology, we now have accurate data on these properties of microalgae. Members of the Functional Algology Research Group have created three-dimensional digital models of more than 800 algal species and developed mathematical and computational methods, that allow precise calculation of the shaded area of each species.
This database of species specific projected (shading) areas enables new interpretations of existing research findings and phytoplankton water quality data. It also supports the design of interventions aimed at improving water quality through the promotion of desirable phytoplankton community compositions.
Results have been published in Water Research
