Oracle: Objectivizing cyanobacteria-associated risks in recreational waters

Abstract

The Oracle project intends to ameliorate the management methods of cyanobacteria and associated toxins crisis in a changing climate context. Various recent studies emphasize that in a changing climate environment, higher summer water temperatures could lead to an increase of algal proliferations. This could in turn necessitate a reinforcement of the monitoring of toxic cyanobacteria in recreational waters. The aims of this project are a better understanding of potentially toxic cyanobacteria crisis occurrences in recreational waters, and the development of predictive monitoring routines. Our study is based on public health survey data from 26 recreational lakes monitored every year since 2004 in Brittany (north-west France) in order to encompass spatial and interannual patterns of cyanobacteria development on a regional scale. This project includes 4 steps: (i) characterizing the annual rhythm of cyanobacteria development, (ii) defining site-specific reference conditions (iii) developing or improving remote survey techniques, (iv) developing new cyanobacteria monitoring protocols based on site-specific crisis indicators. Exploring the links between cyanobacteria cell densities, toxin occurrences and interannual meteorological factors on one hand and characterizing the climate change consequences on local meteorological conditions on another hand can give us insights on the potential evolution of cyanobacterial crisis in the future. © 2014 WIT Press.