螺类牧食与沉积物类型对苦草生长的影响

在室外实验条件下,研究了螺类牧食与沉积物类型对苦草生长的影响。结果表明:椭圆萝卜螺的牧食对苦草生长有显著影响,牧食损害使苦草的相对生长率明显降低、块茎数量及重量下降。沉积物类型对苦草生长也有明显影响,苦草的相对生长率在营养盐相对丰富的湖泥处理组中要远高于岸泥处理组,而根须数与块茎重量在湖泥处理组中显著低于岸泥处理组。螺类牧食与沉积物类型对苦草的各项生长指标无明显交互作用。     

太湖夏季浮游细菌群落多样性的空间格局简

为了研究太湖夏季浮游细菌群落多样性与水体营养盐的关系,在太湖全湖范围内开展了一次大规模浮游细菌采样调查,分析了太湖不同湖区浮游细菌丰度和多样性组成。研究发现,浮游细菌丰度在不同湖区中存在明显的空间差异,从北部和西部湖区沿湖流向东南方向至湖心和南部沿岸再到东部湖区呈下降趋势,这与太湖水体营养水平从高到低变化趋势一致。浮游细菌丰度与营养盐浓度回归分析结果显示,总磷(TP)与细菌丰度存在较好的正相关(R2=0.6392,n=29,P0.01),而总氮(TN)与细菌丰度无显著相关(R2=0.0663,n=29,P0.05)。因此,磷是太湖夏季浮游细菌生长的限制因子。不同湖区营养盐与浮游细菌群落多样性也具有显著的正相关,随着营养水平的升高,浮游细菌多样性增加。此外,细菌群落的组成在不同湖区间亦具有明显的空间异质性,与不同湖区营养水平空间变化一致。研究结果将有助于人们更好地理解淡水湖泊中微生物循环和生态系统功能。     

太湖夏季浮游细菌群落多样性的空间格局

为了研究太湖夏季浮游细菌群落多样性与水体营养盐的关系,在太湖全湖范围内开展了一次大规模浮游细菌采样调查,分析了太湖不同湖区浮游细菌丰度和多样性组成。研究发现,浮游细菌丰度在不同湖区中存在明显的空间差异,从北部和西部湖区沿湖流向东南方向至湖心和南部沿岸再到东部湖区呈下降趋势,这与太湖水体营养水平从高到低变化趋势一致。浮游细菌丰度与营养盐浓度回归分析结果显示,总磷（TP）与细菌丰度存在较好的正相关（R2=0.6392,n=29,P0.01）,而总氮（TN）与细菌丰度无显著相关（R2=0.0663,n=29,P0.05）。因此,磷是太湖夏季浮游细菌生长的限制因子。不同湖区营养盐与浮游细菌群落多样性也具有显著的正相关,随着营养水平的升高,浮游细菌多样性增加。此外,细菌群落的组成在不同湖区间亦具有明显的空间异质性,与不同湖区营养水平空间变化一致。研究结果将有助于人们更好地理解淡水湖泊中微生物循环和生态系统功能。       

叶片损害强度与基质营养水平对苦草补偿性生长的影响

通过室外双因子控制试验,研究了叶片损害强度与基质营养水平对沉水植物苦草补偿性生长的影响.结果表明：叶片损害与基质类型对苦草的累积生物量、生物量的分配（根叶比）及分株数均有显著影响.与未受损植物相比,强受损使苦草的累积生物量及无性分株数显著降低,根叶比明显升高,而弱受损与未受损处理之间没有明显差别.与营养贫瘠的岸泥相比,生长在肥力较高湖泥中的苦草的累积生物量较高,而根叶比与分株数较低;叶片损害与基质类型对苦草的相对生长率也有显著影响,受损使苦草的生长率明显提高,而两受损处理之间无显著差别.未受损与强受损时,湖泥中苦草的生长速率明显高于岸泥,弱受损时则相近.并初步探讨了水生植物受损后的补偿生长机理.     

不同营养条件对金鱼藻净化作用及其生理生态的影响

以沉水植物金鱼藻（Ceratophyllum demersum）为研究对象,研究了较高营养条件（N:1030 mg/L,P:13 mg/L）对金鱼藻去除氮、磷能力的影响,金鱼藻的含磷量、生物量与净光合作用速率对营养负荷的响应。结果表明,金鱼藻-沉积物处理系统可有效去除氮、磷（去除率80%以上）,但去除效率随水中营养盐浓度的升高而下降。试验结束时各试验组金鱼藻总磷含量达7.0113.09 mg/g （平均9.03 mg/g）,显著高于对照组（2.853.17 mg/g,平均3.05 mg/g）,表明金鱼藻可以吸收水体中的磷。营养盐对金鱼藻生长有明显抑制,其抑制作用随营养盐浓度增高而加剧,除对照组外,各试验组金鱼藻均有叶片脱落,试验结束时金鱼藻生物量降至初始生物量的48.3%63.3%。在较高营养水体中,金鱼藻的净光合作用速率由试验开始时-0.0370.058 mg/（gh）显著上升至试验结束时0.180.44 mg/（gh）,而对照组变化不大,这表明在试验后期,随着水体营养盐浓度降低,金鱼藻开始进行恢复性生长,说明水体营养盐浓度对金鱼藻的净光合作用速率和生长速率有明显影响。金鱼藻尚不适宜作为滇池草海生态修复的先锋物种。       

柳树新无性系(A42)对富营养水体不同浓度磷的吸收和净化机制

磷是评价水体富营养化的因子之一,也是植物生长必需营养元素,研究速生木本植物对富营养水体中磷的吸收具有重要意义.本研究以旱柳新无性系A42为对象,于2017年7—9月在温室大棚中进行浮床水培试验,研究了旱柳对不同磷营养水平水体(低磷0.1、0.2 mg·L^-1;中磷1.0、2.0 mg·L^-1;高磷10.0 mg·L^-1)的吸收和净化机制.结果表明:旱柳能有效净化水体中的磷营养(21 d达到79%以上),去除量与水体磷浓度呈正相关,但去除率随水体磷浓度增加呈先升高后降低趋势.旱柳可于7 d内将磷浓度为0.1～1 mg·L^-1的富营养水体中磷浓度降低至富营养阈值(0.016～0.032 mg·L^-1).旱柳富集同化的磷含量占水体磷总输入量的29.0%～66.9%,富集同化量与富集同化率分别与水体磷浓度呈正相关和负相关.旱柳在不同磷浓度水体中均能正常生长,根冠比随水体磷浓度下降而显著增加.氮、磷在旱柳体内积累均表现为茎>叶>根,旱柳的氮、磷转运系数均大于3,在高磷浓度水体中,氮磷营养在旱柳的茎部大量积累,氮、磷转运系数分别显著增加至4.53±0.24和4.92±0.62.表明旱柳在不同磷浓度富营养水体中均能正常生长且有良好的净化能力,能够通过富集转运磷营养至地上部来减少二次污染.实际应用中,对于低磷浓度水体,适合做短期净化;对于高磷浓度水体,适合做长期净化.     

沉积物生源要素对水体生态环境变化的指示意义

受人类活动影响,输入到湖泊、河口中的营养盐剧增,导致水体富营养化、食物链结构改变、底质季节性缺氧等生态环境变化。这些环境变化会在沉积物中留下记录,沉积物中生源要素及其稳定同位素的变化是指示水域古生产力、营养盐水平的有效指标。总结归纳了沉积物中生源要素(碳、氮、磷、硅)指标对水体环境中初级生产力、物质来源、营养盐水平3方面变化的指示作用。沉积物中TOC、TN、δ13C、CaCO3和BSi可以反映水体沉降有机质含量和浮游植物的生长状况,是指示水域初级生产力水平的有效指标。根据不同类型植物来源的有机质中δ13C、δ15N和C/N的差异,可以追踪沉积物中有机质的来源。有效地区分有机质来源对于研究人类活动对水体环境的影响及水体富营养化具有重要的价值。沉积物中TN、δ15 N、TP和非磷灰石磷(NAIP)含量的升高直接反映了陆源输入氮、磷的增加。BSi在指示浮游植物生长状况的同时,还反映了水体溶解硅浓度水平和富营养化状况。水体中的生源物质在沉降和埋藏的过程中,会受到早期成岩作用、水动力搬运等众多因素的作用,使沉积物记录的环境变化信息发生改变,从而干扰其对水体环境演变的重建作用。因此综合分析各生源要素指标反映的环境变化信息及其可能的干扰因素,方能正确地反映水域的环境变化过程。     

太湖春季沉积物间隙水中磷的分布特征及界面释放的影响

通过对太湖春季不同湖区水体和沉积物间隙水中磷的分布特征研究,探讨了间隙水中磷的释放对上覆水环境的影响。结果表明,颗粒态磷(PP)和溶解态有机磷(DOP)是太湖水体中主要的磷形态,占总磷的58%～95%。不同湖区沉积物间隙水磷的剖面变化可能与生态特征及水动力引起的沉积物-水界面的扰动强度密切相关。湖心和西部沿岸沉积物扰动强烈,致使间隙水中磷含量向上逐渐降底,而梅梁湾和贡湖间隙水磷的垂向变化不大。东太湖和竺山湖沉积物界面间隙水中磷含量偏高,可能是由于表层沉积物的有氧环境使Fe2+被氧化固定下来,并促进了总磷(TP)和溶解态活性磷(DRP)的扩散释放。总体而言,间隙水中各形态磷具有向上覆水体释放的趋势,其中DRP的扩散潜力最大,竺山湖沉积物-水界面DRP扩散通量高达11.42mg.m-2.d-1,表明春季浮游植物的复苏生长对DRP的迫切需求。     

太湖环棱螺(Bellamya sp.)及其与沉水植物的相互作用

选用太湖常见的环棱螺及沉水植物,研究了不同状态下环棱螺营养盐的释放特征,探讨了环棱螺对水体营养盐、透明度和浮游藻类的影响,及其与沉水植物的相互作用.结果表明:在一定温度范围内,环棱螺营养盐的释放速率随温度升高而增加,且进食状态下释放速率高于饥饿状态;环棱螺能在短时间内提高水体透明度,但其营养盐释放又引起局部水体溶解态氮磷含量的增加;适宜的条件下,水体中藻类的再生能力超过环棱螺对其的抑制力;水体营养盐含量增加,促进与环棱螺共存的伊乐藻和轮叶黑藻的生长.在太湖的不同湖区,草型湖区螺类的生物量远高于藻型湖区,这表明沉水植物可能是影响螺类分布的重要生态因子之一.     

升温对超富营养型浅水湖泊沉积物营养盐动态迁移的影响

在实验室控制条件下,以超富营养型浅水湖泊——武汉南湖表层沉积物和表层水为研究对象,设置18℃和22.5℃两个温度处理组,模拟武汉地区预测的21世纪末春季变暖的情景,研究升温对沉积物营养盐释放的影响。实验结果表明:整个实验过程中,22.5℃处理组水体中正磷酸盐(o-P)和总磷(TP)含量显著高于18℃处理组,说明气温升高可以显著促进富营养化浅水湖泊沉积物磷的释放,促进水体中磷含量的显著升高;此外,在实验的初始阶段,升温能够加速水体中氨氮(NH+4-N)向硝态氮(NO-3-N)转化的过程,同时水体与沉积物中氮含量的下降可能是水体与沉积物中的氮通过反硝化作用从系统中溢出以及被系统中的底栖生物利用所致,没有观察到气温升高对沉积物中总氮的释放产生显著影响。     

Resource allocation in the submerged plant Vallisneria natans related to sediment type, rather than water-column nutrients

1. Phenotypic plasticity in resource allocation by Vallisneria natans was investigated in a greenhouse experiment, using three types of sediment [sandy loam, clay, and a 50 : 50 (by volume) mixture of the two sediments] and two levels of water‐column nutrient. The clay was collected from a highly eutrophic lake in Jiangsu Province, China, and the N and P concentrations applied in nutrient media were at the upper limits observed in most lakes of China. 2. Growth and biomass allocation were significantly affected by sediment type, rather than water‐column nutrients. Plant growth in clay and the mixture were similar, and 2.4–3.4 times higher than that in sandy loam. Compared with the plants grown in clay or the mixed sediments, the plants grown in sandy loam allocated relatively more biomass to root (11–17% versus 7–8% of total biomass), and relatively less to leaf (76–82% versus 86–87% of total biomass). Plastic variations in root area were induced by sediment type alone (P < 0.05), whereas the impacts of sediment type and water‐column nutrients on leaf area were insignificant (P > 0.05). 3. Plant N and P concentrations were significantly affected by both sediment type and water‐column nutrients. Increased nutrient availability in the water column enhanced plant N concentration by 3.5–20.2%, and plant P concentration by 19.1–25.8%. 4. Biomass accumulation and plant nutrient concentration in plants grown in different sediment types and water‐column nutrients indicate that sediment type had more significant impacts on growth and N and P concentrations of V. natans than did water‐column nutrients. Changes in phenotype are a functional response to nutrient availability in sediment, rather than to water‐column nutrients.     

Effects of nutrient levels in surface water and sediment on the growth of the floating-leaved macrophyte Trapa maximowiczii: implication for management of macrophytes in East Bay of Lake Taihu, China

Trapa maximowiczii is a floating-leaved macrophyte common in China. The plant population in East Bay, Lake Taihu, has been expanding rapidly in recent years. In order to better understand the mechanisms controlling the population dynamics in this species, two outdoor experiments were conducted from 9 May to 8 July 2007, evaluating the effect on the growth of T. maximowiczii of different nutrient levels in water column and sediment. Results showed that high concentration of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) in water led to significant increases in rosette diameter and plant dry weight, dry weight of aquatic roots and anchoring roots, but had no effect on plant height or main stem node count. Phosphorus enrichment resulted in increases in plant dry weight and seed number. However, no such difference was observed between the nitrogen enrichment treatment and the control. Sediment fertility had significant effects on plant growth. Plant height, plant dry weight, dry weight of aquatic and anchoring roots, and maximum rosette diameter were significantly greater in high-nutrient sediment than those in low-nutrient sediment. This study suggests that eutrophication of water (especially increasing phosphorus loading) and accumulated nutrients in sediment may be among the causes leading to increasing biomass of the floating-leaved macrophyte T. maximowiczii in East Bay of Lake Taihu.     

Size-related auto-fragment production and carbohydrate storage in auto-fragment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myriophyllum spicatum</Emphasis> L. in response to sediment nutrient and plant density

Size-related asexual reproduction of submersed macrophytes is still poorly understood. Here, we investigate how size-related auto-fragmentation in Myriophyllum spicatum L. responds to sediment nutrients and plant density. An experiment was carried out with sediments containing two different nutrient levels and with two levels of plant density. The results show that sediment nutrients and plant density brought about a strong dependency of auto-fragment production and the amount of total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) storage in auto-fragments on individual plant size (total plant biomass). However, these two factors acted differently on size dependency. Sediment nutrients positively affected auto-fragment production and the amount of TNC in auto-fragments of M. spicatum. High concentrations of sediment nutrients significantly increased these two traits in absolute value and the value relative to plant size. Although the auto-fragment biomass and the amount of TNC in auto-fragments did not differ between density treatments when plant size was considered, the absolute values of these two traits were much larger in the low plant density treatment than in the high plant density treatment, which suggested an indirect negative effect of plant density on the auto-fragmentation of M. spicatum. In addition, higher percentages of large auto-fragments (>100 mg) were produced by plants that grew in nutrient poor sediment and low plant density environment than plants in nutrient rich sediment and high plant density environment. These results do not solely highlight a size-dependent effect, but also a size-independent effect of auto-fragment production and the amount of TNC in auto-fragments of M. spicatum. Furthermore, such size-independent effects can be explained by the significant biomass partitioning differences and the similar TNC-concentrations in auto-fragments under different environmental conditions.     

Population density and module demography in Trapa natans (Trapaceae), an annual,clonal aquatic macrophyte

The effects of population density on module demography were studied in Trapa natans L., an annual aquatic macrophyte capable of extensive clonal propagation. At low density, the floating plants produced ten times as many ramets (clonal offshoots) as those at high density. Module mortality occurred at three levels: leaf, ramet (shoot), and genet (genetic individual). There was 100-fold variation in the size of nuts containing germinable seeds. In early summer there was a highly significant linear relationship between dry mass of nuts and the total mass of ramets that each had produced. In early summer most (73–83%) of the variation in total plant biomass was attributable to variation in initial nut size. However the significance of initial nut size was diminished later in the season. The great success of the exotic weed T. natans at colonizing and monopolizing an aquatic habitat is a function of its highly productive clonal growth response to low-density conditions, combined with greater proportional allocation of biomass to reproductive structures, resulting in greatly increased nut production at low initial density. The species appears able to develop and maintain a population at extremely high density: plant buoyancy and the production of large, well-protected nuts allow rapid early growth from the sediment each year and early pre-emption of the water surface.     

Temporal variation of resource allocation between sexual and asexual structures in response to nutrient and water stress in a floating-leaved plant

Aims Adaptive plasticity of biomass allocation to different environmental stressors enables plants to maintain functional relationships among reproductive structures. In freshwater systems, water depth and nutrient content of sediments can have a major effect on biomass allocation in aquatic macrophytes. However, the relative importance of these two stressors is unknown as it is the temporal variation of biomass allocation to the stressors during the growing period. This information may be critical for understanding the tolerance of a plant to environmental conditions.Methods Here, we used four levels of environmental stressors generated by deep and shallow water and high or low sediment nutrient content in a factorial experiment to investigate the biomass allocation responses of a floating macrophyte, Trapella sinensis, during the growing period.Important findings The results showed that the lower sediment nutrient content inhibited biomass increase, whereas the lower water depth increased the sexual reproduction of the plants. The lower sediment content also led to a delay in flowering and compensated trade-offs among sexual reproduction and elongation and clonal reproduction during the growing period. These results indicated that water depth affected the ratio of biomass allocation, whereas the sediment nutrient content affected biomass accumulation when the plants faced these two environmental factors simultaneously. The temporal changes in allocation under lower sediment nutrient content underscored the importance of collecting data at different stages of growth when trying to interpret resource allocation, especially in resource-limited environments.     

A 2-year experimental study on nutrient and predator influences on food web constituents in a shallow lake of north-west Spain

1. A 2‐year study was carried out on the roles of nutrients and fish in determining the plankton communities of a shallow lake in north‐west Spain. Outcomes were different each year depending on the initial conditions, especially of macrophyte biomass. In 1998 estimated initial ‘per cent water volume inhabited’ (PVI) by submerged macrophytes was about 35%. Phytoplankton biomass estimated as chlorophyll a was strongly controlled by fish, whereas effects of nutrient enrichment were not significant. In 1999 estimated PVI was 80%, no fish effect was observed on phytoplankton biomass, but nutrients had significant effects. Water temperatures were higher in 1998 than in 1999. 2. In the 1998 experiment, cladoceran populations were controlled by fish and cyanobacteria were the dominant phytoplankton group. There were no differences between effects of low (4 g fresh mass m^?2) and high (20 g fresh mass m^?2) fish density on total zooplankton biomass, but zooplankton biomass was higher in the absence of fish. With the high plant density in 1999, fish failed to control any group of the zooplankton community. 3. Total biovolume of phytoplankton strongly decreased with increased nutrient concentrations in 1998, although chlorophyll a concentrations did not significantly change. At higher nutrient concentrations, flagellate algae became more abundant with likely growth rates that could have overcompensated cladoceran feeding rates. This change in phytoplankton community composition may have been because of increases in the DIN : SRP ratio. Both chlorophyll a concentration and total phytoplankton biovolume increased significantly with nutrients in the 1999 experiment. 4. A strong decline of submerged macrophytes was observed in both years as nutrients increased, resulting in shading by periphyton. This shading effect could account for the plant decline despite lower water turbidity at the very high nutrient levels in 1998.     

不同基质中水鳖对共存的穗花狐尾藻和金鱼藻的影响

研究设置了营养水平不同的3种基质,在有或无浮水植物水鳖共存的情况下,混合种植营养吸收方式不同的两种沉水植物（仅从水中吸收营养的金鱼藻和从水和基质都能吸收营养的穗花狐尾藻）,探讨在不同的基质中浮水植物对沉水植物的影响。结果显示:实验中水鳖的存在均未对共存的两种沉水植物的生长产生抑制作用。当水鳖覆盖水面时,与无根的金鱼藻竞争光照和水体营养,促使其增加分枝数和茎长,并增加叶生物量的分配,最终导致水鳖的共存促进了金鱼藻的生物量积累。但与金鱼藻不同,有根的穗花狐尾藻可通过基质吸收营养,与共存的水鳖之间只存在光照竞争,使穗花狐尾藻仅以改变植株形态来适应浮水植物的表层覆盖,生物量积累并未发生显著变化。与沙处理相比,水鳖在营养水平较高的泥处理和泥沙混合处理中生长更旺盛,基质没有显著影响沉水植物的生物量和分株数。因此,在退化湿地生态系统中恢复水生植物时,为了提高群落的物种多样性,可以将沉水植物与少量的浮水植物组合配置,少量的浮水植物不会对沉水植物的生长带来负面影响。     

Effects of nutrient and soil moisture on competition between shape Carex stricta,shape Phalaris arundinacea,and shape Typha latifolia

We investigated the importance of nutrients, soil moisture, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and interspecific competition levels on the biomass allocation patterns of three wetland perennial plant species, Carex stricta Lam., Phalaris arundinacea L., and Typha latifolia L. A factorial experiment was conducted with high-low nutrient levels, high-low soil moisture levels, and with and without AMF inoculation. Under the experimental conditions, plant inoculation by AMF was too low to create a treatment and the AMF treatment was dropped from the total analysis. P. arundinacea and T. latifolia biomass were 73% and 77% higher, respectively, in the high nutrient treatment compared to the low nutrient treatment. Biomass allocation between shoots and roots remained relatively constant between environmental treatments, although shoot:root ratios of P. arundinacea declined in the low nutrient treatment. For C. stricta, the high nutrient and soil moisture treatments resulted in an increase in biomass of 50% and 15%, respectively. Shoot:root ratios were nearly constant among all environmental conditions. Biomass of T. latifolia and C. stricta was greatly decreased when grown with P. arundinacea. The rapid, initial height growth of P. arundinacea produced a spreading, horizontal canopy that overshadowed the vertical leaves of T. latifolia and C. stricta throughout the study. This pattern was repeated in both high and low nutrient and soil moisture treatments. When grown with P. arundinacea, C. stricta and T. latifolia significantly increased their mean shoot height, regardless of the nutrient or soil moisture level. The results of this experiment suggest that C. stricta and T. latifolia were light limited when growing with P. arundinacea and that canopy architecture is more important for biomass allocation than the other environmental conditions tested. The results also suggest that Phalaris arundinacea is an inherently better competitor (sensu Grime 1979) than C. stricta or T. latifolia.     

The relative importance of sediment and water column supplies of nutrients to the growth and tissue nutrient content of the green macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis along an estuarine resource gradient

Large blooms of opportunistic green macroalgae such as Enteromorpha intestinalis are of ecological concern in estuaries worldwide. Macroalgae derive their nutrients from the water column but estuarine sediments may also be an important nutrient source. We hypothesized that the importance of these nutrient sources to E. intestinalis varies along a nutrient-resource gradient within an estuary. We tested this in experimental units constructed with water and sediments collected from 3 sites in Upper Newport Bay estuary, California, US, that varied greatly in water column nutrient concentrations. For each site there were three treatments: sediments + water; sediments + water + Enteromorpha intestinalis (algae); inert sand + water + algae. Water in units was exchanged weekly simulating low turnover characteristic of poorly flushed estuaries. The importance of the water column versus sediments as a source of nutrients to E. intestinalis varied with the magnitude of the different sources. When initial water column levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) were low, estuarine sediments increased E. intestinalis growth and tissue nutrient content. In experimental units from sites where initial water column DIN was high, there was no effect of estuarine sediments on E. intestinalis growth or tissue N content. Salinity, however, was low in these units and may have inhibited growth. E. intestinalis growth and tissue P content were highest in units from the site with highest initial sediment nutrient content. Water column DIN was depleted each week of the experiment. Thus, the water column was a primary source of nutrients to the algae when water column nutrient supply was high, and the sediments supplemented nutrient supply to the algae when water column nutrient sources were low. Depletion of water column DIN in sediment + water units indicated that the sediments may have acted as a nutrient sink in the absence of macroalgae. Our data provide direct experimental evidence that macroalgae utilize and ecologically benefit from nutrients stored in estuarine sediments.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of different structures of the aquatic macrophytes Eichhornia azurea Kunth and Scirpus cubensis Poepp & Kunth in relation to water level variation in Lagoa Infernão (São Paulo, Brazil)

We evaluated the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration of floating meadows of Eichhornia azurea and Scirpus cubensis in Lagoa do Infernao (State of Sao Paulo, Brazil). The chemical composition of these plants and of the water (littoral and limnetic zones) was determined during the period March 1987 to march 1988. During high water, the water becomes enriched by soluble nutrients and particulates washed from the flooded areas adjacent to the lake, especially from areas situated between the river and Lagoa do Infernão. The soluble allochthonous material is rapidly assimilated and stocked in the plant tissues, which results in an increase in its concentration. Besides this, it was established that the aquatic macrophytes studied utilize the nutrients dissolved in the water of the floating meadow itself, these nutrients being derived principally from their own decomposition.Since these are floating stands, the sediment does not function as a direct source of nutrients, and since concentrations in the water are low, the nutrients excreted by the aquatic macrophytes during growth and liberated during decomposition do not remain available in the water, but are rapidly absorbed by the young plants.This closed nutrient system makes possible the maintenance of the high biomass of the stands during the entire hydrological cycle.