Abstracts Biological Sciences

Cyanobacterial populations in Lake Hjorten and Lake Vångaren depending on increased temperature

by Danielsson Mikael

Västervik Municipality has had problems with odorous compounds in its primary water source, Lake Hjorten. Geosmin and cyanobacterial blooms have been detected in the lake. This report aims to experimentally investigate the cyanobacterial populations in the primary and secondary freshwater lakes depending on the climate change factor temperature. An understanding of number of cells is the foundation to understand the potential harmful chemical levels. This provides an opportunity to predict the water quality in the lakes in the future due to climate change. The results show that cyanobacteria did not benefit from an increase in temperature from 10°C to 18°C solely during autumn. However, the diatom Aulacoseira did increase in numbers although it is not known to produce odorous compounds. Consequently a warmer Swedish autumn would not cause worse drinking water quality in absence of other contributing factors according to this study.