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Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants

Bloom and doom: Is increasing risk of harmful algal blooms an inevitable consequence of global change?

Bloom and doom: Is increasing risk of harmful algal blooms an inevitable consequence of global change? Assessing risk and exploring strategies in Georgia from biological and social perspectives

Bloom and doom: Is increasing risk of harmful algal blooms an inevitable consequence of global change?

Toxic water events called harmful algal blooms (HABs) are now considered one of the greatest threats to inland water quality, posing major social, economic, and health risks to humans, domesticated animals, and wildlife. Globally, the frequency of HAB incidence is increasing due to warming temperatures, more frequent extreme weather events, and continued nutrient runoff from agriculture and urbanization. While the federal government and many states have taken action to better understand, monitor, and respond to HABs, Georgia has fallen behind. Moreover, although innovative biological controls for reducing HAB risk have been successful in northerly latitudes, less is known about their potential in southern climates. Advancing research on HAB risk, exposure, and response is critical for maintaining Georgia’s 70,000 reservoirs, which provide ecosystem services including drinking water, flood control, recreation, and food. We propose to use interdisciplinary approaches to elucidate the risks that HABs present to communities in Georgia, with a particular focus on underserved groups. Our proposed research program has three objectives: (1) investigating why HABs occur in some inland bodies of water but not others by identifying the physical, chemical, and biological factors mediating the timing, severity, and duration of blooms, (2) examining the ways different members of a community interact with freshwater resources and how their interactions may shape the risks HABs present to their health and well-being via swimming and fishing, and (3) identifying and evaluating risk management strategies to reduce HAB occurrence and exposure. We will focus on local multi-use ponds and small to medium-sized reservoirs within the Upper Oconee Water Basin (UOWB). The proposed work will transform our ability to effectively mitigate and manage the number and effects of HABs in the southeastern United States.

Team Lead

Cory Struthers
Department of Public Administration and Policy
cs86487@uga.edu

Team Members

Peter Hazelton
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources

Michelle Ritchie
College of Public Health

Alex Strauss
Odum School of Ecology

Krista Capps
Odum School of Ecology