Nancy Awuor Oduor

Sources and pathways of anthropogenic nutrients to coastal systems: Implications to HABs development in Mombasa, Kenya

My project will be conducted in Mombasa, a coastal city surrounded by ecologically, economically and culturally important marine systems but experiencing nutrient pollution and other pressures from diverse human activities. It aims at examining the sources and quantifying fluxes of essential nutrients and their effects on phytoplankton community structure and occurrences of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs).

The study has been developed to test the hypothesis that ‘nutrient inputs from anthropogenic activities lead to the development of HABs in the coastal waters of Mombasa’.

It will be conducted for a period of two years (2021 -2023) and will utilize available literature, satellite imageries, field monitoring and laboratory analysis to: establish temporal and spatial variation in environmental parameters, dissolved nutrients fluxes (sources and pathways), chlorophyll a, stable nitrogen isotope ratios, molar concentrations of N: P: Si, phytoplankton community structure, HABs species diversity and abundance and how changes in coastal development will affect water quality and the occurrence of HABs in the coastal waters of Mombasa.

I hope to provide information that will inform policy based mitigation actions towards nutrient pollution and HABs management to protect valuable natural resources, ensure resilience of coastal systems and public health safety, secure food and local livelihoods in the region.