Toxic Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)

My original research area was primarily concerned with computer simulation of the growth and movement of problem cyanobacterial blooms and strategies for their management. I was lucky to work with colleagues such as Colin Reynolds at the Institute of Freshwater Ecology in Windermere and mentors Pauline Kneale, Mike Kirkby and Adrian McDonald at Leeds. My PhD students including Basak Guven and Mark Easthope carried this work forward and have excelled in their own careers.

Selected publications

2012 Howard, A. Toxic Cyanobacteria in Bengstsson, L., Herschy, R. and Fairbridge, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Lakes and Reservoirs. Springer. ISBN 9781402056161.

2011 Guven, B. and Howard, A. Sensitivity analysis of a cyanobacterial growth and movement model under two different flow regimes, Environmental Modeling and Assessment. 16:577-589.

2007 Guven, B. and Howard, A. Identifying the critical parameters of a cyanobacterial growth and movement model by using generalised sensitivity analysis Ecological Modelling, 207, 11-21.

2007 Guven, B. and Howard, A. Modelling the growth and movement of cyanobacteria in river systems Science of the Total Environment, 368, 898-908.

2006 Guven, B. and Howard, A. A review and classification of the existing models of cyanobacteria Progress in Physical Geography, 30, 1-24.

2003 Burton, L.R. Howard, A. & Goodall, B. Construction of a historical Water Pollution Index for the Mersey Basin, Area, 35:4.

2002 Howard, A. & Easthope, M.P. Application of a model to predict cyanobacterial growth patterns in response to climatic change at Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire, UK, The Science of the Total Environment, 282-283, 459-469.

2001 Howard, A. Modelling movement patterns of the cyanobacterium, Microcystis, Ecological Applications: the journal of the Ecological Society of America, 11, 304-310.

1999 Howard, A. Algal Modelling: Processes and Management: An Introduction, Hydrobiologia, 414, 35-37

1999 Howard, A. (ed) Algal Modelling: Processes & Management, Hydrobiologia, 414.

1999 Easthope, M.P. & Howard, A. Modelling algal dynamics in a lowland impoundment, Science of the Total Environment. 241, 17-25.

1999 Easthope, M.P. & Howard, A. Implementation and sensitivity analysis of a model of cyanobacterial movement and growth, Hydrobiologia, 414, 53-58.

1997 Whitehead, P.G. Howard, A. & Arulmani, C. Modelling algal growth and transport in rivers: a comparison of time series analysis, dynamic mass balance, and neural network techniques, Hydrobiologia, 347: 39-46.

1997 Kneale, P.E. & Howard, A. Statistical analysis of algal and water quality data, Hydrobiologia, 347: 59-63.

1997 Howard, A. Computer simulation modelling of buoyancy change in Microcystis, Hydrobiologia, 349: 111-117.

1997 Howard, A. Algal Modelling: Processes & Management. Editorial Preface. Hydrobiologia, 349:vii-ix.

1996 Howard, A. McDonald, A.T. Kneale, P.E. & Whitehead, P.G. Cyanobacterial (blue-green algal) blooms in the UK: A review of the current situation and potential management options, Progress in Physical Geography, 20, 63-81.

1996 Howard, A. Irish, A.E. & Reynolds, C.S. SCUM ’96: A new simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement, Journal of Plankton Research, 18, 1375-1385.

1995 Howard, A. Kirkby, M.J., Kneale, P.E. & McDonald, A.T. Modelling the growth of cyanobacteria (GrowSCUM), Hydrological Processes, 9, 809-820.

1994 Howard, A. Problem cyanobacterial blooms – explanation and simulation modelling, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 19, 213-224.

1993 Howard, A. SCUM – simulation of cyanobacterial underwater movement, Computer Applications in the Biosciences, 9, 413-419.

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• A new natural sunscreen: Novel compound discovered in thermophilic cyanobacteria
  Natural sunscreens shield the skin from harmful radiation, without triggering allergic reactions. In a recently published study, a group of researchers has discovered a novel compound, β-glucose-bound hydroxy mycosporine-sarcosine, which is produced in thermal cyanobacteria under UV-A/UV-B and salt stress. This compound has a unique biosynthesis pathway which is different from the typical mycosporine-like amino […]
• Summer storms increase the risk of cyanobacterial blooms in clear water lakes
  Researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) have investigated how summer storms change the ecology of deep, clear lakes in a large-scale experiment in the LakeLab at Lake Stechlin. They simulated the effects of a storm in the experimental cylinders of the lake laboratory, in which the water column was […]
• Researchers uncover synchronous ecological collapse across Paleotethys Ocean during Permian–Triassic transition
  A research team from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS), in collaboration with international partners, has completed a high-resolution biomarker analysis of the Zal section in northwest Iran. This study uncovers new insights into ecological disruption and microbial community shifts across the Permian–Triassic (P–T) transition in the […]
• Enzyme discovered in cyanobacteria can add phosphate groups to therapeutic peptides
  Researchers from CIIMAR and the University of Helsinki have discovered a new biochemical modification in natural cyanobacterial products, revealing an unprecedented tool with promising applications in biotechnology and drug development.
• Marine viruses hijack bacterial genes to dismantle and exploit energy systems
  Marine viruses deploy a sophisticated Trojan horse maneuver that enables them to dismantle the energy systems of ocean bacteria and use the breakdown products for self-replication. This finding comes from a study conducted at the Technion Faculty of Biology published in Nature.
• Multicellular cyanobacteria switch gene activity between day and night cycles
  Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, occur worldwide in many varieties, including in single-cell form and in chains called filaments. While these tiny life forms can strongly influence many ecosystems, the details of their behavior have mostly been studied in laboratory settings, under constant illumination.
• Beyond the usual suspect: Nitrogen feeds algae blooms, researchers find
  Nitrogen is a bit of a conundrum. In its gaseous form it's the most abundant element in the atmosphere, but few organisms can readily use it. And while all living organisms contain nitrogen, a new University of Vermont study finds that even tiny amounts of nitrogen can fuel cyanobacterial blooms and disrupt lake ecosystems.
• Long-term analysis yields clearer picture of toxin-producing blue-green algae blooms
  A long-term analysis shows that a major Oregon reservoir abruptly swapped one type of toxic algae for another midway through the 12-year study period, absent any obvious cause. The project provides a novel look at harmful algal blooms (HABs), which pose multiple health risks to people and animals worldwide.
• Understanding how bacteria use 'sunscreen' to adapt to climate
  Cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, are found almost everywhere in the world—from hot springs to arctic ice to antioxidant smoothies. Part of their extreme adaptability lies within a unique light-harvesting structure called the phycobilisome. These modular antennae both collect energy from sunlight and adapt to changing light levels in order to provide a sort […]