title: Spatial variation of phytoplankton composition, biovolume, and resulting microcystin concentrations in the Nyanza Gulf (Lake Victoria, Kenya).
abstract: The Nyanza Gulf is a large shallow bay of Lake Victoria suffering from eutrophication by human activities. In order to characterize the harmful algal bloom formation as a consequence of eutrophication, both spatially and seasonally, environmental conditions, phytoplankton community composition, and microcystin (MC) concentrations were investigated monthly from Kisumu Bay, and bimonthly from the center of the gulf, as well as quarterly from the Rusinga Channel and the main basin of Lake Victoria between July 2008 to September 2009. The sites located in Kisumu Bay and the central gulf were most strongly affected by eutrophication, including increased nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton growth. More than 90% of the samples obtained from the gulf were dominated by cyanobacteria, whereas diatoms only dominated in the samples obtained from Rusinga Channel and the main lake. In generalMicrocystisaccounted for the largest part (> 50-90%) of cyanobacterial biovolume. MCs were found in 35 (54%) out of 65 samples and were detected throughout the study period in the gulf, but only in two out of eight samples from the Rusinga Channel and the main lake. A significant linear relationship betweenMicrocystisbiovolume and MC concentration was observed (n = 65, R2= 0.88, p <0.001). Highest MC concentrations were recorded in Kisumu Bay between November and March (max. 81 μg l-1) whenMicrocystisshowed max. biovolume (18 mm3l-1in November 2008). The results suggest that seasonal variability did not outweigh the spatial differences in phytoplankton composition and MC production that is seasonally persistent in Kisumu Bay.
authors.affiliation: Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 1881, Kisumu, Kenya ; Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sitoki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Limnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Mondseestraße 9, A-5310, Mondsee, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurmayer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rott
keywords: Microcystis; harmful algal blooms; health risk; horizontal distribution; seasonality; toxicity