Climate Change Impacts on Harmful Algal Blooms in U.S. Freshwaters: A Screening-Level Assessment
Citation:
Climate Change Impacts on Harmful Algal Blooms in U.S. Freshwaters: A Screening-Level Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.
Impact/Purpose:
A modeling framework to estimate the impacts of climate change on harmful aquatic blooms in the contiguous U.S.
Description:
Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms have serious adverse effects on human and environmental health. Herein, we develop a modeling framework that predicts the effect of climate change on cyanobacteria concentrations in reservoirs in the contiguous U.S. The framework, which uses climate change projections from five global circulation models, two greenhouse gas emission scenarios, and two cyanobacterial growth scenarios, is unique in coupling climate projections with a hydrologic/water quality network model of the contiguous United States. Thus, it generates regional and nationwide projections of climate impacts on HAB prevalence as well as potential lost recreation days and associated economic value.