Description

Within the framework of Action 1.1 "Database related to climate change for: a) Atmosphere, b) Sea, c) Paleoclimate, d) Inland waters" of Climpact II, the Photo-Catalytic Processes and Environmental Chemistry group of the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at NCSR "Demokritos" focused on studying the history of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the Greek seas and their correlation with the climate change. One of the impacts of climate change is the more frequent occurrence of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the marine environment, a phenomenon related to rising temperatures, changing hydrological conditions, and eutrophication. Phytoplankton accumulation results in water discoloration, the appearance of "red tides," and the formation of mucilage, which significantly degrade the environment and can lead to hypoxia or anoxia events, resulting in mass mortalities of fish and benthic organisms. The subsequent release of marine toxins poses a serious risk to both ecosystems and humans, while causing significant economic losses. One of the objectives of the Action was the development of a database of toxic algal blooms in coastal and marine waters of Greece. The database is organized in the form of an interactive map and is freely accessible online at the following link: https://view.genially.com/6abf8e3870b8aec887138036. The database contains information regarding the marine area in Greece that the HAB was observed, the date, its description and impacts, the dominant algal species, the presence and concentration levels of marine toxins, the analytical technique used for toxin determination, and the relevant reference.

Data and Resources