TY - JOUR
T1 - Anthropogenic nutrients and phytoplankton diversity in Kenya's coastal waters
T2 - An ecological quality assessment of sea turtle foraging sites
AU - Oduor, Nancy A.
AU - Munga, Cosmas N.
AU - Imbayi, Linet K.
AU - Botwe, Paul K.
AU - Nyanjong, Ezekiel O.
AU - Muthama, Charles M.
AU - Mise, Neville A.
AU - Moosdorf, Nils
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
PY - 2024/2
Y1 - 2024/2
N2 - We assessed ecological quality status (EQS) of coastal waters following claims of increasing sea turtle fibro-papillomatosis (FP) infections in Kenya, a disease hypothesized to be associated with ‘poor’ ecological health. We established widespread phosphate (P) and silicate (Si) limitation, dissolved ammonium contamination and an increase in potential harmful algal blooming species. Variations in the EQS was established in the sites depending on the indicators used and seasons. Generally, more sites located near hotels, tidal creeks, and estuarine areas showed ‘poor’, and ‘bad’ EQS during rainy period compared to dry season. Additionally, 90.1 % of the sites in ‘poor’ and ‘bad’ EQS based on dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Low dissolved oxygen, elevated temperature, salinity and ammonium, ‘poor’ EQS based on DIN, and potential bio-toxin-producing phytoplankton species characterized the FP prevalent areas, specifically during the dry season suggesting environmental stress pointing to the hypothesized connection between ecological and sea turtle health.
AB - We assessed ecological quality status (EQS) of coastal waters following claims of increasing sea turtle fibro-papillomatosis (FP) infections in Kenya, a disease hypothesized to be associated with ‘poor’ ecological health. We established widespread phosphate (P) and silicate (Si) limitation, dissolved ammonium contamination and an increase in potential harmful algal blooming species. Variations in the EQS was established in the sites depending on the indicators used and seasons. Generally, more sites located near hotels, tidal creeks, and estuarine areas showed ‘poor’, and ‘bad’ EQS during rainy period compared to dry season. Additionally, 90.1 % of the sites in ‘poor’ and ‘bad’ EQS based on dissolved inorganic nitrogen. Low dissolved oxygen, elevated temperature, salinity and ammonium, ‘poor’ EQS based on DIN, and potential bio-toxin-producing phytoplankton species characterized the FP prevalent areas, specifically during the dry season suggesting environmental stress pointing to the hypothesized connection between ecological and sea turtle health.
KW - Ecosystem health
KW - Eutrophication
KW - Kenya
KW - Nutrient pollution
KW - Phytoplankton assemblages
KW - Sea turtles' habitats
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85180531684&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115897
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115897
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85180531684
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 199
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
M1 - 115897
ER -