Perkins Joseph C, Zenger Kyall R, Kjeldsen Shannon R, Liu Yang, Strugnell Jan M
Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2025 Jan;210:117319. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.117319. Epub 2024 Nov 27.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) present severe risks to marine ecosystems, wildlife, human health and economies globally. This study investigates the diversity and abundance of the primary HAB group-dinoflagellates-in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia, a region notable for its ecological uniqueness and high susceptibility to HABs. By employing DNA metabarcoding targeting the 18S rRNA V8-V9 regions, we aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of dinoflagellate communities across various substrates and locations, identifying both toxic and non-toxic species. Our findings revealed 66 distinct genera, including known toxin producers such as Alexandrium, Gambierdiscus, Karenia and Prorocentrum, with some toxic species detected in Australian waters for the first time. Additionally, we assessed the abundance of these toxic species and examined the influence of environmental factors on their occurrence. This study emphasises the importance of ongoing monitoring and ecological assessments to manage HAB impacts in vulnerable coastal areas such as Hervey Bay.
有害藻华（HABs）对全球海洋生态系统、野生动物、人类健康和经济构成严重风险。本研究调查了澳大利亚昆士兰州赫维湾主要的有害藻华群体——甲藻的多样性和丰度，该地区以其生态独特性和对有害藻华的高度敏感性而闻名。通过针对18S rRNA V8 - V9区域进行DNA宏条形码分析，我们旨在全面概述不同底物和地点的甲藻群落，识别有毒和无毒物种。我们的研究结果揭示了66个不同的属，包括诸如亚历山大藻属、冈比亚藻属、卡伦藻属和原甲藻属等已知的毒素产生者，其中一些有毒物种首次在澳大利亚水域被检测到。此外，我们评估了这些有毒物种的丰度，并研究了环境因素对其出现的影响。本研究强调了持续监测和生态评估对于管理像赫维湾这样脆弱沿海地区有害藻华影响的重要性。
