Blue-Green Cyanobacteria: Diversity, Toxins and alpine Tourism

The aims of this project are (1) to assess the cyanobacterial Tintenstrich (TC) species richness and community composition as an important part of biodiversity colonizing semiaquatic rock surfaces, (2) to characterize their cyanotoxin and secondary metabolite profiles and (3) to evaluate the risk of cyanotoxin pollution of water resources used by touristic infrastructures in the alpine zone (e.g., huts of the Swiss Alpine Club) where water run-off from TC are likely to become a more important water resource in late summer when melting water is largely lacking because of climate change. Comparing our recent data with the species lists established in 1945 by O. Jaag, a former Director at Eawag, a possible altitudinal shift of TC and as a consequence, altered cyanotoxin profiles leading to an increasing risk of cyanotoxin water pollution in the alpine zone will be addressed in our collaborative study together with E. Janssen (Eawag) and Sabine Fink (WSL).