Impact of toxic cyanobacterial blooms (Lyngbya spp.) on coral reef habitats off southeastern Florida and the Florida Keys.

Abstract

This report describes a project with an objective to assess the prevalence and impact of toxic cyanobacterial blooms of Lyngbya spp. upon coral reefs and the organisms associated with those reefs off of southeastern Florida and the Florida Keys. Using an in situ bioassay approach we were able to show that nutrient enrichment, particularly the addition of iron, can increase growth and secondary metabolite in Lyngbya polychroa. In addition, we demonstrated that the specialist grazer Stylocheilus striatus can sequester secondary metabolites produced by Lyngbya spp. in Florida. Finally, we assessed the potential role of Lyngbya secondary metabolites in fibropapilloma in green turtles in Florida waters and found that the tumor promoting compounds produced by Lyngbya majuscula in the Pacific are not present in Lyngbya spp. in Florida.