ONEPlanet DTP - Use of UAVs for monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) in freshwater environments (OP2145)

Climate change is affecting our planet in many ways. Of importance in this proposal is the impact of climate change on freshwater environments. Along with nutrient pollution, harmful algal blooms (HABs) are likely to become more prevalent in more freshwater environments including reservoirs, waterside parks and lakes, where water-based sporting activities take place. Climate change can directly affect HABs as a result of the rise in temperature of the water body by providing favourable growth conditions. Other detrimental aspects, as a result of climate change, that influence HAB growth include higher CO2 levels and shifts in rainfall that can provide input in the freshwater environment of increased nutrients (N/K from e.g. agricultural practices and urbanisation, leading to eutrophication) as a result of run-off (ASM 2017, Microbes and Climate Change). In this study we will investigate HABs across a number of freshwater environments using a UAV with multispectral image camera. To validate the UAV data we will correlate the flight information with analytical sampling, field testing and laboratory confirmation. We will develop new data analytic approaches to interrogate the information, and link to the UKCEH citizen science app (https://www.ceh.ac.uk/algal-blooms/bloomin-algae). Over the course of the project we will attempt to link our findings with that being produced from earth obervation satellites and hence impact on the climate modelling community. Finally, we will develop a predictive tool to calculate the appearance and severity of HABs in freshwater environments. The PhD student will gain experience of freshwater ecology, fieldwork, data gathering using a UAV with multispectral image camera, big data analysis, modelling and field / laboratory-based measurements.