Development & Application of Isotopic Techniques to Assess Eutrophication & HABs in Coastal Areas

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) represent a growing global issue, particularly in coastal areas where 40% of the world's population resides. These blooms can produce biotoxins accumulating in seafood, posing risks to human health through illnesses like shellfish or fish poisoning. HABs can also damage ecosystems by causing oxygen depletion and habitat destruction, impacting fisheries, tourism, and recreation. The frequency and severity of HABs are closely linked to eutrophication: the excessive accumulation of biomass following the enrichment of water bodies with nutrients from anthropogenic sources. Climate and other global changes may further influence the occurrence and severity of HABs. However, the influence of chemical speciation and ratios of nutrients in comparison to other abiotic and biotic factors on the phenology of HABs remains poorly understood. Addressing this knowledge gap is crucial for managing eutrophication and, consequently, mitigating adverse health, economic and ecological impacts related to HABs.

The overall objective is to disentangle the role of land-to-sea nutrient fluxes in coastal eutrophication fostering the formation of HABs and biotoxins, in the light of climate and global change and other environmental drivers. This objective contributes to the development of mitigation measures to combat the impacts of HABs on seafood safety, water quality, coastal community health, and tourism. This Coordinated Research Project (CRP) will directly contribute to Target 2 and 14.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim at reducing food insecurity and at preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution of all kinds, with a particular focus on land-based activities, including nutrient inputs and their detrimental effects.