Sixth IMBeR Eutrophication Study Group Meeting Held on May 30

The sixth group meeting was held online on May 30th, 2023. Co-Chair Prof. Peter Thompson from CSIRO (Australia) led the virtual gathering, with nine experts and IMBeR IPO staff in attendance. Peter began the meeting by welcoming everyone and summarizing the previous meetings. He also emphasized the potential outcomes.

Dr. Tae Gyu Park, from the National Institute of Fisheries Science in South Korea, presented the effects of temperature change on cell abundances of four Alexandrium species in Jinhae Bay, South Korea, using qPCR. His analysis shows that rapid temperature changes could lead to an Alexandrium bloom, and cold stress increases saxitoxin gene expressions. During the Q&A, the attendees exchanged ideas on the effect of predation and other oceanographic factors on Alexandrium blooms.

Prof. Masahiko Fujii, from the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute at the University of Tokyo, Japan, gave a brilliant talk next. He presented the impacts of coastal warming, acidification, and deoxygenation in typical oligotrophic coast, typical eutrophic coast, and oyster farms along Japan’s coasts using biogeochemical models. His team found that coastal warming and acidification will have combined impacts on Pacific oyster larvae. The attendees had a heated discussion on the impact of seasonal temperature change on phytoplankton bloom, changing ocean stratification, as well as other factors that impact oyster farming.

Peter and Dongyan exchanged ideas about potential outputs and planned to enlist more members with other expertise. More activities will be carried out soon. We are excited to share updates and look forward to your continued attention, participation, and support!

Know more about the IMBeR Eutrophication Study Group.