Bibliographic Detail
Komárek, J., Azevedo, S.M.F.O., Domingos, P., Komarkova, J. & Tichy, M., 2001
Reference:
Komárek, J., Azevedo, S.M.F.O., Domingos, P., Komarkova, J. & Tichy, M. (2001). Background of the Caruaru tragedy; a case taxonomic study of toxic cyanobacteria. Algological Studies 103: 9-29, 9 figs, 3 tables.
Abstract:
We describe phenotype characters of cyanobacterial populations, dominating in
the Tabocas reservoir, State of Pemambuco, Brazil, in the period February-June 1996.
Massive development of cyanoprokaryotic species in the reservoir was then responsible for
cyanotoxin production into the water. As a consequence, over 50 people died after
intoxication by cyanotoxins in the hemodialysis center in Caruaru, Brazil. AII the dominating
cyanobacterial species from Tabocas reservoir belong exclusively to the tropical, not
well known species. The basic phenotype descriptions and ecological characters of Aphanotheces
tratus.R omeriac arnarn (spec. nova), Aphanocapsac f cumulus.M icrocystisp rotocystis,
M. pannijonnis, Chroococcidiopsicsf indica and Aphanizomenonm anguinii are included in the
article. - Two important conclusions can be drawn from our results: (i) Numerous
important specific and little known cyanobacterial types occur in tropical regions, different
from these ones known from temperate zanes, and (ii) the "picoplanktic" populations can
be formed by cells liberated from macroscopic colonies ofbenthic and periphytic species.
Our results support also the hypothesis about the toxicity of cyanobacteria from various
taxonomic groups and various biotopes, and urge further study ofthe natural populations
from little known tropical biotopesby combined traditional and modem molecular methods.
DOI:
10.1127/algol_stud/103/2001/9
