RECENT APPEARANCE OF CYLINDROSPERMOPSIS (CYANOBACTERIA) IN 5 HYPEREUTROPHIC FLORIDA LAKES

Observations of historical and recent phytoplankton samples from five hypereutrophic Florida lakes indicate that nitrogen-fixing cyanobacter ia in the genus Cylindrospermopsis Seenayya et Subba Raju have entered these water-bodies sometime in the last 30 years. Cylindrospermopsis forms a year-round bloom in one of the five lakes, dominates seasonall y in another, and is at least at times an important component of the p hytoplankton community in the remaining three. The increase in abundan ce of Cylindrospermopsis in Florida lakes could have implications for water management.