Abstract
Studies carried out in Cleveland Bay and John Brewer Reef in the central Great Barrier Reef have shown significant changes in water quality during the presence of Trichodesmium blooms. Elements most affected include paniculate Fe and Mn, dissolved Mn and Ni, as well as pH, suspended sediments, phosphate, nitrate, chlorophyll-a and ammonium. Speciation measurements have established that Cd, Pb and Cu ions in seawater become more bioavailable during the presence of Trichodesmium. Coincident with the increased bioavailability of trace elements during the blooms, significant and sustained increases in total Fe, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ag and Mn occurred in the black lip oyster, Saccostrea amassa. Levels of Zn, Cd, Cu in S. amassa exceeded health guidelines by 8000%, 4000% and 3000% respectively. Increased bioavailability of some trace elements during Trichodesmium blooms may also be a cofactor along with anthropogenic input for the increased metals in these oysters.
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© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Jones, G.B. (1992). Effect of Trichodesmium Blooms on Water Quality in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. In: Carpenter, E.J., Capone, D.G., Rueter, J.G. (eds) Marine Pelagic Cyanobacteria: Trichodesmium and other Diazotrophs. NATO ASI Series, vol 362. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7977-3_18
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-7977-3_18
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