Climate Change and Marine and Freshwater Toxins

The production of toxins by marine and freshwater microalgae has been known for decades. However toxic blooms have increased recently in frequency and distribution, which has raised serious concerns regarding seafood and drinking water safety. Global climate change is one of the factors contributing to the spreading of toxin producing species in aquatic systems. Climate change is expected also to affect greatly yield and quality of food harvests worldwide, mainly as a result of changes in rainfall, increased temperature and increased concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. This book compiles current evidence on the influence of climate change on harmful algal blooms (HABs). Additionally, the biology of toxic species and toxin production will be revised to provide a basis for understanding climate effects. The final objective of research in this field is controlling if not preventing the impact on human and animal health and, therefore, an overview of current trends in HABs prediction models and management of seafood and drinking water safety is also addressed. New in the 3rd Edition: additional chapters on brevetoxins and tetrodotoxin.