Cyanobacterial blooms have been extensively studied in Australian freshwater systems since the high-profile Darling River bloom events of the 1990s, with particular attention on the waters of the Murray Darling basin.
Woods Lake and Lagoon of Islands, both on Tasmania’s central plateau, experienced cyanobacterial blooms within the past 20 years. At both lakes blooms persisted at temperatures well below those typically associated with cyanobacterial proliferation in mainland waters. Observations from Woods Lake were consistent with findings from laboratory studies indicating that bloom forming cyanobacteria can remain active under cooler conditions and in low nutrient conditions.
The experience from Tasmania demonstrates the value of studies at the local-scale and from a broader range of climatic and environmental conditions to support more effective prediction, monitoring and management of cyanobacterial blooms across diverse Australian freshwater systems.