星云湖硅藻群落响应近现代人类活动与气候变化的过程

随着人类活动的增强与全球气候变暖的持续,近年来云南湖泊的生态系统功能持续退化,而目前对云南湖泊生态系统的研究还主要集中于单一环境压力的生态效应。以星云湖为研究对象,通过沉积物记录与现代监测资料,识别在湖泊富营养化、气候变化以及人类强烈干扰下硅藻群落结构响应的过程,并甄别驱动群落变化的主要环境压力及其强度。结果显示随着湖泊生产力水平(如沉积物叶绿素a浓度)的增加,硅藻物种组成发生了明显的变化,主成分分析表明了水体富营养化是驱动群落变化的主要环境因子(r=-0.63,P0.001)。简约模型与方差分解的结果表明近200年来(钻孔长度38cm),湖泊营养水平和水动力是驱动星云湖硅藻群落变化的主要环境因子,分别解释了群落变化的18.8%和2.9%;而1951年以后,湖泊营养水平和温度分别解释了硅藻群落结构变化的31.4%和26.8%。研究结果表明了硅藻群落长期变化的主控因子是湖泊营养水平,而人类活动及气候变化等可以通过改变湖泊水动力及湖水温度来驱动硅藻群落的演替,同时抚仙湖-星云湖的连通性也对硅藻群落的演替产生了一定影响。     

云南程海湖泊生态系统演化的摇蚊亚化石沉积记录

通过对程海沉积岩芯摇蚊亚化石组合的分析, 结合210Pb、137Cs 年代测定和沉积物TOC、TN、粒度指标, 探讨了近200 年来程海摇蚊属种组合变化及其对湖泊环境演化过程的响应, 揭示了人类活动对湖泊生态系统的影响。结果表明: 1920 年之前, 程海营养水平较低, 摇蚊属种组合以Procladius sp.为主; 1920 至1990 年, Procladius sp.逐渐减少,而耐营养种Chironomus plumosus-type 增加, 营养水平上升; 1990 年末期后, 受农业化肥使用、藻类养殖等人类活动的影响, 湖泊营养水平显著增加, Procladius sp.相对丰度急剧减少, 而Chironomus plumosus-type 急剧增加, 取代Procladius sp.成为优势种。程海近200 年沉积记录研究表明1970 年前湖泊的环境状态基本接近人类干扰前的状态, 可作为该湖科学管理与治理的基准环境。     

昆明小型城市湖泊叶绿素a浓度与硅藻群落的时空分布及主控因子

水体叶绿素a浓度(Chla)与硅藻群落特征是指示湖泊水质的常用生物指标。本研究于2017年3月—2019年12月调查了昆明市4个小型湖泊(云南师范大学校园内北潭、北湖、南湖、龙潭)的水体环境指标、Chla浓度和硅藻群落的季节变化。结果显示：4个湖泊水体总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)和Chla浓度均呈现明显的季节波动。其中，营养水平最高的南湖水体Chla含量显著高于其他3个湖泊，影响南湖Chla变化的主要因子是TN;而在其他3个水体中，水温的增加显著促进了Chla浓度的上升。水温和TN是4个湖泊水体Chla时空变化的主要驱动因子。北潭、南湖和龙潭的硅藻群落以浮游硅藻占优，水深最浅的北湖以底栖硅藻为主，表明水深影响了硅藻群落的浮游物种占比与优势属种。水深、TN、TP、透明度以及水温驱动了硅藻群落的时空变化，其中，水温是影响硅藻群落季节差异的主要因子，而TN和TP是导致同一季节湖泊间硅藻群落差异的主要因子。     

武汉市沙湖摇蚊亚化石记录的湖泊生态环境变化

通过对沙湖41 cm沉积岩芯摇蚊亚化石组合进行分析, 结合210Pb测年、长江中下游摇蚊-总磷转换函数模型、降趋势对应分析(Detrended Correspondence Analysis, DCA)方法及武汉市历史资料数据, 定量重建湖泊水体总磷浓度, 揭示了沙湖自20世纪70年代以来环境演化历史。结果表明: (1) 1973—1989年, 摇蚊组合以水生植被相关属种Cricotopus sylvestris-type和Dicrotendipes nervosus-type占优势, 揭示湖泊水生植被发育; 这一时期摇蚊重建水体总磷浓度为47—55 μg/L, 沉积物总磷维持在700 mg/kg; (2) 1989—2002年, 沉积物总磷增加近一倍, 与此同时水体总磷逐渐上升到100 μg/L以上, 水生植被相关摇蚊属种相对丰度显著减少, 湖泊由此进入富营养态; (3) 2002年以来, 沉积物总磷持续升高到2000 mg/kg以上, 摇蚊组合以富营养属种Tanypus和Propsilocerus akamusi-type占绝对优势, 水体总磷浓度维持在150 μg/L以上。DCA第一轴解释了摇蚊组合变化的62.1%, 且样品点在DCA第一轴得分与沉积物总磷呈显著负相关, 表明摇蚊组合主要响应于湖泊营养富集过程, 这主要与武汉市城市化发展导致湖泊面积萎缩和入湖污水增加相关。研究表明沙湖水体营养本底值约为50 μg/L, 减少外源营养盐输入是保护沙湖水环境的重要途径。     

沉积硅藻揭示的历史时期水生植被信息以梁子湖为例

水生植被是浅水湖泊生态系统最重要的生态特征之一, 了解其群落历史演化特征, 对生态退化湖泊的修复有着重要指导意义。研究选择长江中下游地区代表性草型湖泊梁子湖, 基于梁子湖沉积岩芯210Pb/137Cs测年、沉积硅藻序列和梁子湖长期水生植被监测记录, 探讨利用沉积硅藻记录来重建该湖历史时期水生植被演替特征的可行性。研究结果表明: 梁子湖沉积硅藻记录对历史时期水生植被的演替有较好的反映; 基于此, 对梁子湖过去近200年的水生植被覆盖度进行了重建; 与湖泊流域历史环境信息的对比分析表明洪水是影响该湖水生植被发育的一个重要因素。研究结果证实了在浅水湖泊中, 沉积硅藻可揭示历史水生植被的信息, 并为该湖的水生植被保护提供科学依据, 同时对该区富营养湖泊的生态修复有重要的指导价值。       

贵州红枫湖水体叶绿素a的分布与磷循环

于2009年8月(夏季)和2010年1月(冬季)在贵州红枫湖采集了分层湖水和分层沉积物样品,分析了湖水样品的总N(TN)、总P(TP)及叶绿素a(Chl-a)含量,结果表明,湖水TN含量在2个季节无明显变化,平均含量为1.58±0.73 mg·L-1,湖水TP含量夏季(0.091±0.070 mg·L-1)高于冬季(0.026±0.055 mg·L-1).夏季湖水在8 m处有季节性分层,下层湖水TN、TP含量高于上层;夏季湖水Chl-a主要集中在上层,上层平均含量为33.2±13.0 mg·m-3,冬季湖水Chl-a平均含量为11.1±3.7 mg·m-3,分析发现,湖水上层(8 m)Chl-a与TP有明显的线性相关关系(r=0.965,P＜0.01),表明红枫湖富营养化主要受P元素限制.沉积物孔隙水中的溶解态P(DP)浓度和湖水的磷酸盐(PO3-4-P)浓度比上覆水体高,具有向上扩散的趋势,利用费克第一定律计算了沉积物向上覆水体的释P速率,发现夏季沉积物向上覆水体释P速率高于冬季,可能主要是由于夏季湖水底层的还原环境下沉积物表层的早期成岩作用生成磷酸盐进入孔隙水而促进了沉积物向上覆水体释放P.根据通量释放结果估算了全湖沉积物向水体的释P通量,约为每年5.0±5.6 t.红枫湖富营养化受P控制,沉积物向水体有很大的释放P的潜力,是湖水P的重要内源,严格控制流域的外源输入才能彻底治理该湖的富营养化.     

安徽省石塘湖过去150年来枝角类亚化石记录及环境演化

近百年来长江中下游地区普遍经历了气候变化及日益增强的人类扰动,在多重环境压力胁迫下,该区众多湖泊的环境生态功能出现了明显变化。枝角类是水生生态系统的重要组成部分,且处于湖泊食物网的中间环节,敏感地响应于湖泊及其流域的环境变化,因此湖泊沉积物中枝角类亚化石具有重要的环境指示意义。本文通过对安徽省安庆市石塘湖沉积柱中枝角类亚化石序列的建立,结合当地的历史资料和监测数据,揭示了该湖百余年来的历史环境演变过程及驱动机制。研究结果表明,石塘湖枝角类群落长期以象鼻溞(Bosmina)占优,湖泊环境在1980年左右发生明显的状态转变,枝角类属种从附生圆形盘肠溞(Chydorussphaericus)及底栖属种龟状笔纹溞(Graptoleberistestudinaria)为主的组合向尖额溞(Alonaintermedia、Alonarectangular等)及简弧象鼻溞(Bosmina coregoni)的组合转变。1980年以前,自然环境条件为影响枝角类种群动态的主控因素,此后人类活动的影响越来越明显并最终成为枝角类种群动态的决定性因素。本研究揭示出浅水湖泊中枝角类亚化石对湖泊营养富集及人类活动扰...     

武汉南湖沉积物中水生植物残体及其氮磷分布

对武汉市南湖5个采样点30 cm沉积物柱样中水生植物残体的含量、植物残体的总氮和总磷量进行了研究.结果表明,在南湖中水生植物残体具有较大的沉积量,是一个重要的N、P库;不同采样点之间,水生植物残体的含量有着较大的差异性.在水生植物残体的TN和TP的垂向分布上,0～5cm段TN为20.230 mg·g-1, 25～30 cm段TN为 20.613 mg·g-1,检测TN 与沉积深度的相关系数为0.5851,P＞P 0.05,两者相关不显著;0～5cm 段的TP为2.546 mg·g-1 ,25～30 cm段的TP为 0.634 mg·g-1,上下相差4倍,TP 与沉积深度的相关系数为-0.9507(P＜P 0.01),说明两者呈紧密负相关,即沉积年代越早,TP值越低;沉积年代越晚,TP值越高,这与南湖的富营养化过程是一致的.研究表明,湖泊沉积物中的水生植物残体可作为湖泊富营养化过程的一种新的证据材料,其TP值可以作为一个环境变化的指标,对研究长江中下游浅水湖泊的富营养化过程具有参考意义.     

星云湖枝角类群落变化的长期特征与驱动因素

以星云湖为代表的云南大中型湖泊近年来受到多个环境压力的胁迫,出现水质持续恶化、环境功能降低、生态系统退化等问题。目前针对这些湖泊生态环境的研究主要集中于以富营养化为代表的单一环境胁迫,且以短期监测为主,因此有效的湖泊治理与生态修复急需评价多重环境压力的长期驱动过程与特征。本文围绕星云湖枝角类群落沉积物记录,开展了多指标(如色素、粒度等)的综合分析,并结合湖泊调查、历史资料和多变量统计方法对主要环境压力与长期生态响应模式进行了识别。结果表明:沉积物分析中共鉴定出枝角类10属16种,其中盘肠溞属与象鼻溞属占绝对优势;在1890年之前湖泊沉积物色素浓度稳定在较低水平,随后湖泊生产力缓慢上升且沉积物颗粒(63μm)增加;1980年初开始沉积物色素含量快速上升,耐污种C.sphaericus明显增加并成为绝对优势种;随着湖泊生产力水平的上升,枝角类生物量持续增加(R2=0.753,P0.001,n=33),且枝角类群落出现显著变化(R2=0.953,P0.001,n=33);同时,随着外来鱼类的引入和鱼类捕食压力的变化,象鼻溞生物量总体下降但个体大小变化不明显;营养水平的持续增加与水生植物的逐渐消亡,可能导致了枝角类物种趋于单一,底栖枝角类生物量总体下降。总之,星云湖枝角类群落结构与生物量在过去100年来出现了显著变化,湖泊富营养化与生产力的变化是主要驱动因子,同时外来鱼类的引入、水文条件及水生植物的变化也对枝角类群落产生了重要的影响。     

东北镜泊湖硅藻对近现代气候变化和人类干扰的响应过程

全球气候变暖和人类活动加剧已经导致中国大量湖泊生态系统功能退化,而目前对东北地区湖泊生态系统变化的认识主要源于短期的监测。以东北镜泊湖为例,通过沉积记录和现代监测资料,分析一个多世纪以来以硅藻群落为代表的湖泊生态系统对气候波动和区域人类活动的响应过程。研究结果表明,在人类干扰显著加强之前,风力扰动是镜泊湖硅藻群落变化的一个重要因子,表现为Aulacoseira属种取代小型浮游种(Cyclostephanos、Stephanodiscus和Discostella)成为优势种。20世纪70年代以来,Asterionella formosa、Nitzschia palea和Fragilaria crotonensis的相继增加则反映了流域农业活动加剧、农业化肥大量施用以及污水排放导致的湖泊营养水平升高。温度的持续上升已经引起东北地区一些湖泊硅藻群落结构发生显著变化,但镜泊湖的硅藻记录却未显示这一气候变化的信号。考虑湖泊-流域形态和人类活动的不同,研究认为近几十年气候变化对镜泊湖硅藻群落结构的影响被强烈的人类干扰所掩盖而未显现出来。     

Comparison of diatoms, fossil pigments and historical records as measures of lake eutrophication

1. Analysis of fossil diatoms and pigments was used to examine the effects of land-management practises on the trophic status of Williams Lake, a eutrophic lake in central British Columbia, Canada. Published weighted-average (WA) models were used to infer changes in total phosphorus concentration (TP) during the past 200 years. 2. Diatom-inferred TP (DI-TP) was compared to 20 years of direct chemical TP measurements to determine the accuracy of diatom-TP models in inferring mean summer TP in Williams Lake. Plant pigments were measured using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to quantify historical changes in gross algal community composition and abundance and to evaluate further diatom-TP inferences. 3. Palaeolimnological analyses showed that Williams Lake has been productive throughout the last 200 years. Diatoms characteristic of alkaline, eutrophic conditions were continuously present c. 1765–1990 AD. Carotenoids from filamentous cyanobacteria (myxoxanthophyll, aphanizophyll) were regularly present in Williams Lake sediments, although cryptophytes (alloxanthin), diatoms (diatoxanthin), chlorophytes (lutein-zeaxanthin, b-phorbins), and siliceous algae (diatoms, chrysophytes) or dinoflagellates (fucoxanthin) were also important components of past algal communities. Terrestrial disturbance (railway and road constructions, cattle ranching) increased lake production, but resulted in relatively little permanent environmental change. 4. Comparison of DI-TP with measured TP (1972–91) showed that inferences from simple WA models were similar to average summer TP (39.1 vs. 35.2 μg TP l^–1). Inferences resulting from data manipulations that down-weighted eutrophic lakes (outlier elimination, bootstrapping) or diatom species (square-root transformation, tolerance-weighting) were weakly and negatively correlated with measured TP, introduced bias into inference models, or underestimated measured TP. These patterns suggest that, when using diatom-TP models developed from sparsely populated regions, accurate palaeoecological inferences for TP in eutrophic lakes should avoid data manipulations which down-weight the most productive sites and taxa. 5. Comparison of DI-TP and fossil-inferred algal abundance during the past 200 years suggested that changes in nutrient inputs accounted for relatively little variation in past algal abundance. Although past changes in total algal biomass (as β-carotene) and DI-TP were broadly similar, the two variables were not significantly correlated (α = 0.05). In contrast, changes in DI-TP were significantly correlated with mean concentrations of diatom-specific carotenoids (diatoxanthin), although the explanatory power was low (r² = 0.16). These patterns suggest that the DI-TP model reflects more closely environmental conditions in Williams Lake during periods of diatom growth, and not necessarily those when total algal biomass is greatest.     

Nutrient dynamics linked to hydrological condition and anthropogenic nutrient loading in Chaohu Lake (southeast China)

Chaohu Lake, a large (770 km²) shallow lake in the Yangtze River basin, has experienced serious eutrophication over the past three decades. To track its nutrient history and the causes, multi-proxies (diatom, geochemical indicators, magnetic susceptibility, and grain size) were analyzed on a 120-cm long core from the lake. Nutrient dynamics of the past 500 years were reconstructed using sedimentary diatom assemblages and an established diatom-inferred total phosphorus (DI-TP) transfer function. Between about 1500 and 1740 AD, the lake remained in an upper-mesotrophic state with the DI-TP oscillating around 60 ??g l^?1. Together with enhanced agricultural activities, a drier and warmer climate led to a decrease in water level and water exchange volume with the Yangtze River, thus triggering the first phase of eutrophication (ca. 1740?C1820 AD). After this eutrophic episode, the lake had exhibited a recovery in nutrient status until the 1960s. However, the lake became susceptible to nutrient input due to a sharp decrease in water exchange volume after its impoundment in 1962. A large amount of anthropogenic nutrient input has exacerbated eutrophication in the lake since the late 1970s. Redundancy analysis using a range of sedimentary proxies indicated that the two eutrophication phases were mainly attributed to anthropogenic nutrient loading and altered hydrological conditions. The hydraulic connection with the Yangtze River should be the primary self-adjustment mechanism of the lake against anthropogenic nutrient input.     

300年来鄱阳湖营养盐演化重建与模拟

水体富营养化已经成为全球性的问题而受到广泛关注,然而其发生的过程和机制尚未完全明了。在湖泊营养演化过程中,水文和生态是两个最基本的制约因素。相对于短期的和试验性的研究,长时间尺度的营养盐变化过程能更全面地揭示营养盐的演化机制。以我国最大的淡水湖——鄱阳湖为例,采用湖泊水体交换周期模型和湖泊生态-营养盐动力耦合模型,重建鄱阳湖营养盐的长期变化,并利用沉积钻孔代用指标加以验证。在此基础上探讨其演化机制,模拟的时间序列中营养盐变化对气候水文与生态系统存在两种不同的响应模式。敏感因子分析显示:典型同步响应期中(1812—1828 AD),气候水文因子的贡献率达79.1%,生态因子为20.9%;典型异步响应期中(1844—1860 AD),两者贡献率分别为36.4%和63.6%。在模拟的营养盐变化时间序列中同步期占62.5%,说明气候因子在营养盐演化过程中起重要的作用;异步期虽只占12.5%,但对湖泊营养盐作用、营养盐反馈生物量同样至关重要。相关分析结果显示,生物量增长与TP含量基本呈线性关系,但存在一个阈值。在没有超过阈值前,生物量对TP具有较好的调节作用;当超过阈值之后,生物量的调节作用减弱。     

Sediment diatom assemblages and composition of pore-water dissolved organic matter reflect recent eutrophication history of Lake Peipsi (Estonia/Russia)

A paleolimnological approach was used for the assessment of the recent eutrophication history and identification of possible reference conditions in the large, shallow, eutrophic Lake Peipsi. Lake Peipsi is the fourth largest lake by area, and the largest transboundary lake in Europe, being shared between Estonia and Russia. Lake Peipsi has been anthropogenically impacted over a longer time-scale than that covered by instrumental limnological monitoring. The ²¹⁰Pb record and down-core distribution of fly-ash particles in the 40-cm core from the middle part of the lake suggest 130 years of sediment accumulation. Diatom assemblages indicate alkaline mesotrophic conditions and a well-illuminated water column, sediment pore-water fluorescence index values suggest low autochthonous productivity and a stable aquatic ecosystem similar to natural reference conditions during the second half of 19th and early 20th century. Near-synchronous stratigraphic changes including the expansion of the eutrophic planktonic diatom Stephanodiscus parvus, the appearance of new species associated with eutrophic lakes and the decrease in the relative abundance of littoral diatoms, together with changes in the fluorescence properties of sediment pore-water dissolved organic matter, imply increased nutrient availability, enlarged phytoplankton crops, reduced water-column transparency and the onset of human-induced disturbances in the lake since the mid-20th century. The most conspicuous expansion of eutrophic planktonic diatoms and maximum concentration of siliceous microfossils occur simultaneously with changes in the fluorescence indexes of pore-water dissolved organic matter, indicating a pronounced increase in the contribution of autochthonous organic matter to the lake sediment. This implies that nutrient loading and anthropogenic impact was at a maximum during the 1970s and 1980s. Sedimentary diatom flora may reflect a reduction of phosphorus loading since the 1990s. However, the absolute abundance of planktonic diatoms and sediment pore-water fluorescence index values vary greatly implying that the lake ecosystem is still rather unstable.     

Surface sediment diatom assemblages and epilimnetic total phosphorus in large, shallow lakes of the Yangtze floodplain: their relationships and implications for assessing long-term eutrophication

1. The Yangtze floodplain (SE China) is characterized by a number of large shallow lakes, many of which have undergone eutrophication due to the intensification of agriculture and urban growth over recent decades. As monitoring data are limited and in order to determine lake baseline nutrient concentrations, 49 lakes were sampled, covering a total phosphorus (TP) gradient (c. 30–550 μg L⁻¹) to develop a diatom-based inference model. 2. There are three dominant diatom assemblages in these shallow lakes with a marked change in assemblage structure near the boundary between eutrophic and hypereutrophic nutrient levels (as indicated by their TP value). Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that TP was the most important and significant variable in explaining the diatom distributions, independently accounting for 9.5% variance of diatoms. 3. Forty-three lakes were used to generate a transfer function using weighted averaging (WA) with inverse deshrinking. This model had low predictive error (root mean squared error of prediction; RMSEP_jack = 0.12) and a high coefficient of prediction (R²_jack = 0.82), comparable with regional TP models elsewhere. The good performance of this TP model may reflect the low abundance of benthic diatom species which are commonly regarded as the main error source in European shallow lake WA models. 4. The WA model was used to reconstruct the past-TP concentrations for Taibai Lake, a shallow hypereutrophic lake in Hubei province. The results showed that TP concentration varied slightly (43–62 μg L⁻¹) prior to the 1920s, indicating an eutrophic state since the 1800s. A period of sustained eutrophication occurred after 1950, because of the development of agriculture, reflecting by maximum values of Aulacoseira alpigena and increased abundance of Cyclotella meneghiniana, C. atomus and Cyclostephanos dubius. The steep increase in nutrient concentration after 1970 was related to the overuse of chemical fertilizer and fish farming in the catchment. 5. The shift in fossil diatoms from epiphytic to planktonic forms in the lake sediment core during 1950–70 provides useful information on the transformation from macrophyte-dominated to alga-dominated states. It is plausible that the TP concentration of 80–110 μg L⁻¹ observed in this study is the critical range for switching between the two stable states in the lake. 6. The regional diatom-TP model developed in this study allows, therefore, the possibility of reconstructing historical background nutrient concentrations in lakes. It will provide an indication of the onset and development of eutrophication at any site. This is particularly important for the many lakes in the Yangtze floodplain where information about historical changes in water quality is lacking.     

Relationship Between Surface Sediment Diatoms and Summer Water Quality in Shallow Lakes of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

The relationship between surface sediment diatoms and summer water quality was investigated at 49 lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Lakes ranging from oligomesotrophic to hypereutrophic were examined, providing an obvious nutrient gradient. With the shift from mesotrophic to eutrophic levels, diatom multi-ecotypes dominated by epiphytic and facultative planktonic taxa were replaced by nutrient-tolerant planktonic taxa, such as Cyclotella meneghiniana Skvortzow, C. atomus Hustedt,Cyclostephanos Round, and Stephanodiscus Ehrenberg etc., reflecting the nutrient changes in the lake.The relationship between diatoms and summer water quality indices was explored further using numeric analysis. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) with forward selection and a Monte Carlo permutation test revealed that of all 25 summer water environmental variables, total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll a (Chzl a), Secchi depth (SD), dissolved inorganic phosphorus, C1-, SO42-, Mg2 , CO32-, and water depth were significant variables (P＜0.05) in explaining diatom distributions. Of these, TP, Chl a, SD, and C1-, were the most important variables. The result of the correlation analysis also showed that a significant correlation exists among these variables, implying that these indices are either interconnected or independent in explaining the diatom data. For phosphorus-limited sites, TP was the most significant variable affecting the diatoms, also affecting changes in Chl a, SD, and iron concentrations. The independence of Chl a may be related to algal competition induced by lake eutrophication, resulting in the feedback to diatom community.In addition to TP, SD can be related to sediment disturbance by wave action and the growth of macrophytes in large shallow lakes. These relationships between diatom ecotypes and water quality provide the basis for a future quantitative reconstruction of historic lake nutrient evolution in the study area and will also provide a wealth of modern ecological knowledge that can be used to interpret fossil diatom records.     

Relationship Between Surface Sediment Diatoms and Summer Water Quality in Shallow Lakes of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

The relationship between surface sediment diatoms and summer water quality was investigated at 49 lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Lakes ranging from oligomesotrophic to hypereutrophic were examined, providing an obvious nutrient gradient. With the shift from mesotrophic to eutrophic levels, diatom multi-ecotypes dominated by epiphytic and facultative planktonic taxa were replaced by nutrient-tolerant planktonic taxa, such as Cyclotella meneghiniana Skvortzow, C. atomus Hustedt, Cyclostephanos Round, and Stephanodiscus Ehrenberg etc., reflecting the nutrient changes in the lake. The relationship between diatoms and summer water quality indices was explored further using numeric analysis. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) with forward selection and a Monte Carlo permutation test revealed that of all 25 summer water environmental variables, total phosphorus (TP), chlorophyll a (Chl a), Secchi depth (SD), dissolved inorganic phosphorus, Cl–, SO42–, Mg2+, CO32–, and water depth were significant variables (P<0.05) in explaining diatom distributions. Of these, TP, Chl a, SD, and Cl–, were the most important variables. The result of the correlation analysis also showed that a significant correlation exists among these variables, implying that these indices are either interconnected or independent in explaining the diatom data. For phosphorus-limited sites, TP was the most significant variable affecting the diatoms, also affecting changes in Chl a, SD, and iron concentrations. The independence of Chl a may be related to algal competition induced by lake eutrophication, resulting in the feedback to diatom community. In addition to TP, SD can be related to sediment disturbance by wave action and the growth of macrophytes in large shallow lakes. These relationships between diatom ecotypes and water quality provide the basis for a future quantitative reconstruction of historic lake nutrient evolution in the study area and will also provide a wealth of modern ecological knowledge that can be used to interpret fossil diatom records.     

Problems with the application of diatom-total phosphorus transfer functions: examples from a shallow English lake

1. A diatom‐total phosphorus transfer function has been applied to a sedimentary diatom sequence from Groby Pool, a small shallow lake in Leicestershire, U.K. 2. Extensive aquatic plant records exist for Groby Pool dating back over two centuries. These records, in conjunction with selected aquatic pollen and herbarium diatom data, provide independent, qualitative evidence for the progression of eutrophication and its effects on aquatic plant communities and habitat structure. 3. Before 1800, Groby Pool was probably mesotrophic with clear water and a diverse submerged macrophyte community, but subsequently it experienced considerable nutrient enrichment. Key evidence for this includes: (i) historical plant records indicating the loss of species associated with mesotrophic waters and their replacement by others typical of eutrophic conditions, (ii) a significant increase in the percentage of planktonic diatoms in the lake sediment record (particularly Cyclostephanos dubius) after 1890, and (iii) increases in percentages of Stephanodiscus parvus and Cocconeis placentula in the second half of the twentieth century. 4. Diatom‐inferred total phosphorus (DI‐TP) estimates were inconsistent with the qualitative evidence for eutrophication at Groby Pool. In particular the DI‐TP profile was thought to overestimate phosphorus during the period of dominance by small Fragilaria spp. before 1890, and to misjudge the timing and direction of subsequent changes in nutrient loading. 5. This study highlights some of the problems associated with the application of diatom‐TP transfer functions to sedimentary diatom sequences from shallow lakes. The major problem relates to the frequent dominance of non‐planktonic diatoms in the sediments of these systems, many species of which (particularly small Fragilaria spp.) appear to be more sensitive to changes in habitat availability than to phosphorus. Potential ways of improving diatom‐TP models via altered approaches to sampling are suggested.     

淀山湖富营养化过程的统计学特征

湖泊营养物输入及响应指标的统计学规律正在受到越来越广泛的关注。对淀山湖在不同富营养化阶段和近期总磷TP、总氮TN和叶绿素Chl a的频率分布以及TP-Chl a关系的经验方程进行了分析,结果表明:(1)淀山湖TP、TN和Chl a的平均浓度和离散程度随着湖泊富营养化程度的加剧而增加,其中以Chl a的增幅最大;(2)在富营养化条件下,即使营养物TP得到一定程度的控制,Chl a大于15μg/L的概率继续增加了20%以上。仅仅削减营养物的峰值,对降低湖泊初级生产力水平的贡献有限;(3)TP-Chl a对数回归方程的斜率随湖泊富营养化程度的升高而增加,由20世纪80年代的0.54增加到目前的2.46。淀山湖营养物输入及响应指标的统计学特征,可以用来表征水体富营养化程度,评价湖泊生态恢复的进程和效果,为湖泊营养物基准和标准的制定提供最为实际的统计学支持。     

Current status and future tendency of lake eutrophication in China

Current trophic status and trend of Chinese freshwater lakes were investigated in this study. The results showed that all lakes studied were commonly undergoing the eutrophication process, water quality decreased and lake’s ecosystem is being declined. Most of the urban lakes are facing serious eutrophication. Many medium-sized lakes are in metrophic or eutrophic status, some local water are even approaching the hypertrophic level. The famous five freshwater lakes in China have entered into eutrophication in the condition of higher nutrient load. Lake Taihu, Hongze and Caohu are already in eutrophic state. Eutrophic lakes are mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River and Yungui plateau. Lake eutrophication developed rapidly. Among the 34 lakes studied in 1970’s, most of lakes were in the mesotrophic status, mesotrophic water area accounted for 91.8%. With the nine year of 1978–1987 the area percentage of oligotrophic lakes decreased from 3.2% to 0.53%, and that of eutrophic lakes increased from 5.0% to 55.01%. Recent data showed 57.5% lakes were in eutrophic and hypertrophic status of the 40 surveyed lakes.

Eutrophic trend of Lake Taihu, Chaohu and Xuanwu in the region of the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River was predicated using the ecological stress model. The results showed that in 2008 Lake Taihu, Chaohu and Xuanwu might be of eutrophication, eutrophication and hypertrophication, respectively if no control measurement is taken. Provided the pollution water treatment rate is 60% in 2030, approximately 30 billion ton pollution water would still be discharged directly in the lakes. Therefore, in 2030 the urban lakes in China might be eutrophication or hypertrophication, and most of the medium-sized lakes at the urban-rural fringe might be in eutrophication or hypertrophication. The famous five biggest freshwater lakes in China might be eutrophication if control countermeasures are taken as now.

Lake eutrophication has become a serious environmental problem in China. Based on the domestic and foreign experiences of the eutrophic control technologies, both nutrient pollution control and lake ecological restoration should be carried out and this may be the guidance for the eutrophic control of lakes in China.