Back to feed
Product
More
Legal
© 2026Daily24.All rights reserved.
Ongoing research is providing a clearer picture of how climate change can affect different aspects of the Coorong in South Australia—and is helping develop strong environmental strategies that can be adapted as the climate changes.
One project, led by Flinders University researchers, looks at the effect of climate change on phytoplankton, including microalgae and harmful algal blooms.
The findings are published in the journal Continental Shelf Research.
These microscopic, free-floating aquatic organisms absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen. Although tiny, they are a key part of the Coorong's food web, as pipis, mussels, insects and small fish all eat phytoplankton.
However, some phytoplankton can also form harmful algal blooms, so Flinders researchers have investigated which phytoplankton species live in the different Coorong habitats and how water level, salinity, nutrients and temperature affect them.
"This information can help us predict how climate change may impact the food web and the risk of harmful algal blooms," says research paper lead author Dr. Daniel Chilton, from Flinders University's College of Science and Engineering.
Sites sampled along the Coorong, which is part of the lower lakes (Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert) and Murray Mouth (CLLMM) area of South Australia. Credit: Flinders UniversityThe research team sampled phytoplankton across the Ramsar-listed Coorong, from freshwater to salty habitats, to see what species—and how many—lived in which environment. These results were combined with 16 years of historical data to determine what environmental factors most influenced the phytoplankton's habitat preferences.
"The 16-year data set encompasses an exceptional climate gradient, from extreme drought to flood conditions, and these flow extremes strongly shape phytoplankton communities," says Chilton.
The researchers, including experts from Adelaide University and The University of Western Australia, found that changes to salinity and water levels through variations in freshwater inputs to the Coorong had the most influence on phytoplankton abundance, diversity and community structure.
Freshwater and low-brackish, or mildly salty, habitats had the most species, but these communities were dominated by cyanobacteria (including blue-green algae) and chlorophytes (green algae).
Extremely salty habitats had fewer species and were dominated by diatoms and dinoflagellates in balanced numbers.
Researchers also found that while the levels of harmful bloom-forming species in the Coorong are low overall, there are more than 80 phytoplankton species capable of producing toxins.
"Harmful algal bloom risk varies by species and environmental conditions," explains Chilton. "High-nutrient and low-salinity conditions can promote cyanobacterial blooms, while drought-driven, high-salinity conditions can increase the risk of harmful dinoflagellate blooms."
The researchers say these results support predictive tools for climate-driven lagoon management.
"Our results can facilitate predictions of phytoplankton communities under future climate change scenarios where salinity outputs are generated," says Chilton.
"Coastal lagoons such as the Coorong support high biodiversity and provide many ecosystem services, but these are under threat from changes in freshwater flow due to climate change and other actions.
"Because of this, understanding how phytoplankton responds to flow-induced changes in environmental conditions is crucial to assess the impact of climate change."
More informationDaniel Chilton et al., Shifts in flow and salinity shape phytoplankton communities in the Coorong, a Ramsar-listed shallow coastal lagoon (South Australia), Continental Shelf Research (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.csr.2026.105744
Who's behind this story?
Swati MestriSwati Mestri holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as a content editor since 2019. She has experience editing research documents across technology, health care, and materials science, and has a particular interest in technology and space. Full profile →
Andrew ZininMaster's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast. Plays key role in Science X's editorial success. Full profile →
Citation: Freshwater flows reshape Coorong algae communities, 16 years of data reveal (2026, October 26) retrieved 26 October 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-10-freshwater-reshape-coorong-algae-communities.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.