Influence of environmental change on water quality and the risks of toxic algal blooms in Africa

Lakes and wetlands are critical ecosystems that support biodiversity and provide vital ecosystem services to people. However, they are threatened by anthropogenic pressures, including climate change and catchment degradation. Eutrophication and the warming of surface waters increase the risk of harmful algal blooms, which can alter aquatic environments and suppress other organisms. Some bloom-forming species of cyanobacteria produce toxins (cyanotoxins) that have been associated with the deaths of animals and can be harmful to people. However, little is still known about the extent to which environmental change is influencing the risk of mortality events, especially in Africa. This project will utilise satellite earth observations, field observations and modelled climate data to investigate the influence of teleconnections, climate change and catchment degradation on the water quality of inland waters in Southern and Eastern Africa. A range of machine learning methods and satellite sensors will be used to assess, monitor, and predict the ecohydrological dynamics of waterbodies and to generate novel algorithms for the detection of algal blooms from space. Finally, the project will examine how changing environmental and climatic conditions may influence the risk of toxic algal blooms and lead to mass die-offs of terrestrial megafauna and fish and how these risks vary over space and time.