Loss of phytoplankton functional and taxonomic diversity induced by river regulation in a large tropical river

Hydrobiologia - Human activities have disrupted the functioning of river ecosystems around the world. In the Amazon basin, hydropower expansion has affected diversity patterns, but no study has...     

Development and ecological importance of phytoplankton in a large lowland river (River Meuse,Belgium)

The ecological importance of the River Meuse phytoplankton with regard to carbon and nutrient transport has been examined in two reaches of the Belgian course of the river.Field measurements of total particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and particulate phosphorus (PP) show that the large autochtonous production of organic matter strongly affects the carbon and nutrient budget of the aquatic system. During the growing season, phytoplankton accounts for nearly 60% of the POC and dominates the PON. Calculations of the carbon and oxygen budget in the upper reach of the Belgian Meuse demonstrates that the ecosystem is autotrophic, i.e. that autochtonous FPOM (fine particulate organic matter) production is the major carbon input. This suggests that in large lowland rivers, primary production (P) may exceed community respiration (R), i.e. P:R>1, whereas they are assumed to be heterotrophic (P:R<1) in the River Continuum concept.The question of maintenance of phytoplankton in turbid mixed water columns is also addressed, and the case of the River Meuse is treated on the basis of studies of photosynthesis and respiration (ETS measurements). The results suggest that the potamoplankton may show some low-light acclimation, through an increase of chlorophyll a relative to biomass, when it comes to deep downstream reaches, and that algal respiration rate may be reduced. A simulation of the longitudinal development of the algal biomass shows the different phases of algal growth and decline along the river and brings support to the importation hypothesis for explaining maintenance of potamoplankton in the downstream reaches.     

Seasonal succession of phytoplankton in a large subarctic river

The factors influencing the abundance of phytoplankton in the Yellowknife River, in the Canadian subarctic, were determined from collections made for 42 consecutive months from June 1975 to November 1978. The spring bloom of plankton occured during April of each year in response to changing light conditions. WhileChlamydomonas lapponica was dominant during this period, it was replaced during the early part of the summer by a rapid succession ofDinobryon species in whichD. cylindricum was followed byD. sociale and in turn byD. bavaricum andD. divergens. Although low nutrient levels permitted the development ofDinobryon during the summer, the abundance of diatoms was greatly limited by the concentrations of SiO₂ (< 0.1 g/m³). Algal densities began to decline in August and reached low overwintering levels by November. The absence of a fall bloom in densities was due to a combination of low temperatures and nutrient levels.P.O. Box 2310, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, X1A 2P7, Canada     

Biological traits approaches in benthic marine ecology: Dead ends and new paths

Biological traits analysis (BTA) links community structure to both ecological functions and response to environmental drivers through species’ attributes. In consequence, it has become a popular approach in marine benthic studies. However, BTA will reach a dead end if the scientific community does not acknowledge its current shortcomings and limitations: (a) uncertainties related to data origins and a lack of standardized reporting of trait information; (b) knowledge gaps on the role of multiple interacting traits on driving the organisms’ responses to environmental variability; (c) knowledge gaps regarding the mechanistic links between traits and functions; (d) a weak focus on the spatial and temporal variability that is inherent to the trait expression of species; and, last but not least, (e) the large reliance on expert knowledge due to an enormous knowledge gap on the basic ecology of many benthic species. BTA will only reach its full potential if the scientific community is able to standardize and unify the reporting and storage of traits data and reconsider the importance of baseline observational and experimental studies to fill knowledge gaps on the mechanistic links between biological traits, functions, and environmental variability. This challenge could be assisted by embracing new technological advances in marine monitoring, such as underwater camera technology and artificial intelligence, and making use of advanced statistical approaches that consider the interactive nature and spatio‐temporal variability of biological systems. The scientific community has to abandon some dead ends and explore new paths that will improve our understanding of individual species, traits, and the functioning of benthic ecosystems.     

基于景感生态学对生态修复的再思考

总结了生态修复工程的现状、我国在推进生态修复上的举措,指出未来生态修复的着重点是要找到更科学且高效的生态修复途径,以及将本地人福祉有机整合到生态修复当中以全面提高生态系统服务效果的方法。阐述了目前常见的生态修复方式,对其各自通常的适用情况及作用特征进行分析,并在此基础上得出一种生态修复的理想模式。阐述了景感生态学的定义,分析了景感生态学、景感营造以及其在稳定、提高生态系统服务及其价值方面的作用机制;讨论了如何基于景感生态学和景感营造分步实现生态修复的理想模式,其重点在于营造景感生态系统,使生态系统服务得到充分发挥,为本地谋取更大福祉。山水林田湖草生态修复工程的决策者、规划者和实施者要在观念、策略、方法以及评价四个方面做出转变。     

Assessing river ecological quality using benthic macroinvertebrates in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region

We developed a system for the assessment of ecological condition for rivers in the lower mountains and lowlands of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region (Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh). We used benthic invertebrates collected from 198 rivers, located in five different ecoregions and covering degradation gradients; samples were taken twice (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon) applying a multi-habitat sampling procedure. Out of 38 environmental parameters, we constructed complex principal component analysis (PCA) gradients, separately for the stressors organic pollution, eutrophication, floodplain land use, and hydromorphological degradation. Correlation analysis between invertebrate metrics and environmental parameters revealed those biological metrics that are most responsive to river deterioration. Redundant metrics were deleted, and the most robust metrics were selected. The range of the index values under reference conditions was defined, and a five-class river quality system was generated.     

Using geophysical information to define benthic habitats in a large river

1. Most attempts to describe the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates in large rivers have used local (grab‐scale) assessments of environmental conditions, and have had limited ability to account for spatial variation in macroinvertebrate populations. 2. We tested the ability of a habitat classification system based on multibeam bathymetry, side‐scan sonar, and chirp sub‐bottom seismics to identify large‐scale habitat units (‘facies’) and account for macroinvertebrate distribution in the Hudson River, a large tidal river in eastern New York. 3. Partial linear regression analysis showed that sediment facies were generally more effective than local or positional variables in explaining various aspects of the macroinvertebrate community (community structure, density of all invertebrates, density of fish forage, density of a pest species –Dreissena polymorpha). 4. Large‐scale habitats may be effective at explaining macroinvertebrate distributions in large rivers because they are integrative and describe habitat at the spatial scales of dominant controlling processes.     

Effects of the benthic suspension feeder Dreissena polymorpha on zooplankton in a large river

1. We conducted a series of in situ enclosure experiments to assess the impact of zebra mussels ( Dreissena polymorpha ) on the plankton of the Ohio River. Adult mussels were suspended in pelagic enclosures ('potamocorrals') at three densities (0, 1000, 2500 mussels per corral) and incubated for 6 days with daily plankton and physiochemical sampling.
2. The presence of adult zebra mussels was correlated with a shift in composition of the phytoplankton community and a severe reduction in some rotifers. The effects of zebra mussels on the larger zooplankton were taxon-dependent, but bacterial density showed no trend among treatments.
3. Zebra mussels may have significant negative impacts on zooplankton, which may in turn alter riverine food webs.     

香溪河大型底栖无脊椎动物群落结构季节动态研究

研究香溪河大型底栖无脊椎动物群落结构和季节动态特征情况,发现高翔蜉、萝卜螺、河蚬、湖沼股蛤、四节蜉为香溪河水系优势分类单元,各季节底栖动物优势种的组成存在显著差异。冬季的生物密度、生物量、生物多样性指数显著高于其他季节,说明冬季的河流生境最适宜大型底栖无脊椎动物生存。香溪河刮食者丰度最高,撕食者最低,表明香溪河着生藻类丰富;固着型底栖动物在香溪河底栖类群中丰度最高,说明香溪河河流流速较快,生境更适宜固着型动物栖居。不同季节环境因子对大型底栖动物群落结构有显著影响。     

Amino acid composition of epilithic biofilm and benthic animals in a large Siberian river

相似文献   

Feeding ecology and ecomorphology of cichlid assemblages in a large Mesoamerican river delta

Fish assemblages in tropical lowland rivers are characterized by a high richness of species that feed on a diverse array of food resources. Although closely related species often have similar feeding ecology, species within the family Cichlidae display a broad spectrum of trophic niches, and resource partitioning has been inferred from studies conducted in Neotropical rivers. We investigated interspecific variation in food resource use and its relationship to morphological variation among cichlid fishes within the Pantanos de Centla Biosphere Reserve, a coastal area encompassing the delta of the Grijalva-Usumacinta River in Tabasco, Mexico. Most species consumed benthic crustaceans, aquatic insect larvae, and detritus, but some were more herbivorous, and one species was a specialized piscivore. Dietary niche overlap among species was higher than expected for one assemblage, and similar to random expectations for another, suggesting a lesser role for resource partitioning than has been shown for some cichlid assemblages, perhaps due to availability of abundant resources, even in low-water conditions. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that greatest morphological differences am7ong species involved functional traits directly associated with resource use. Relationships between feeding ecology and morphology were similar to those described for other riverine cichlids. Strong ecomorphological relationships facilitate inferences about the ecology of cichlid species, including species that currently lack data from field studies. Knowledge of ecological relationships will be important for conservation in the Pantanos de Centla, an ecosystem of global significance for biodiversity and ecosystem services.     

Polyphasic characterization of benthic cyanobacterial diversity from biofilms of the Guadarrama river (Spain): morphological,molecular, and ecological approaches1

The occurrence and environmental factors responsible for the distribution of benthic cyanobacteria in running waters remain largely unexplored in comparison with those of other aquatic ecosystems. In this study, combined data of ecological characteristics, molecular analysis (based on 16S rRNA gene), and direct microscopic inspection of environmental samples were analyzed in parallel with the morphological characterization of the isolated strains to investigate benthic cyanobacterial diversity in the Guadarrama river (Spain). A total of 17 species were identified that belonged to the genera Aphanocapsa, Pleurocapsa, Chroococcus, Chamaesiphon, Cyanobium, Pseudan‐abaena, Leptolyngbya, Phormidium, Nostoc, and Tolypothrix. Phenotypic features were associated with the results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, complementing existing morphological and genetic databases. A decrease in the cyanobacterial diversity was observed along a pollution gradient in the river. Water quality differed among the sampling sites, and variation in nutrient content was the principal difference among locations. These characteristics were closely associated with an upstream‐downstream eutrophic gradient. Canonical correspondence analysis distinguished three groups of species with respect to the eutrophication gradient. The first group (Tolypothrix cf. tenuis, Nostoc punctiforme, Nostoc piscinale, Chamaesiphon investiens, Chroococcus minor, Leptolyngbya nostocorum, and Leptolyngbya tenuis) was characteristic of waters with low levels of nutrients. The second group (Cyanobium sp., Chamaesiphon polymorphus, Leptolyngbya boryana, Phormidium autumnale, Phormidium sp., and Aphanocapsa cf. rivularis) was characteristic of polluted waters, its members appearing mainly in great abundance under eutrophic‐hypertrophic conditions. The third group of species (Pseudanabaena catenata, Aphanocapsa muscicola, and Nostoc carneum) was present at upstream and downstream sites.     

Aspects of ecology and conservation of sympatric,prosobranch snails in a large river

We examined factors influencing distribution of prosobranch snails with field surveys, lab substrate-choice and movement experiments, and outdoor artificial stream experiments manipulating current, substrate and temperature. Restriction of Lithasia obovata to shallow, isolated rock patches and the more continuous distribution of Pleurocera canaliculatum on diverse substrates (shallow to deep water) seem related to food availability, predator vulnerability, wave resistance and dispersal abilities. Shallow, rocky habitats favored by the relatively fragile-shelled Lithasia maximize the more nutritious, epilithic microalgal food while minimizing wave displacement (firmer substrate) and exposure to molluscivorous fish inhabiting deeper waters. The broader distribution of the heavily-armored Pleurocera is attributed mostly to greater dispersal abilities (e.g. via deep water, gravel pathways), prevalence in more substrate types, and resistance to fish predators, but their relatively small foot may account for low densities in very shallow, wave-swept habitats. Lithasia is vulnerable because of its restriction to isolated, shallow rocky habitats, inability to reach deeper gravel dispersal pathways, and greater susceptibility to cold temperatures (slowing colonization of other habitats). Impoundments increase this threat by blocking inter-reach dispersal and hindering intra-reach dispersal through siltation. Pleurocera's survival is threatened by biofouling from zebra mussels which are more prevalent in depths inhabited by this species.     

Physiological indicators of fitness in benthic invertebrates: a useful measure for ecological health assessment and experimental ecology

Physiological indicators of fitness present a measure of an organism’s response to a changing environment. An analysis of how these organisms allocate and store their energy resources provides an understanding of how they cope with such environmental changes. Each individual has to balance the investment necessary to acquire a certain resource with the energy gained by it. This trade-off can be monitored by measuring several physiological indicators of fitness such as energy storage components, metabolic state or RNA/DNA ratio. Because environmental adaptations and ecological strategies of survival are best examined within the natural environment, our research has to rely on the physiological indicators that are easily accessible in the field. The physiological indicators presented here are significant for an individual’s fitness and in turn lead to reliable values in field-collected samples. Based on our own expertise and on a literature survey, the physiological relevance of the presented indicators is explained. Furthermore, some consideration to the analytical methods used to obtain the physiological indicators is given, and possible errors introduced at the sampling site and during the laboratory procedures are discussed. This work demonstrates that the integration of ecological and physiological expertise facilitates the identification of future ecological problems much earlier than separate approaches of both disciplines alone.     

Functional classifications and their application in phytoplankton ecology

相似文献   

城市化过程对河道系统的干扰与生态修复原则和方法

城市化快速发展在带来大量工业和生活污水的同时,对自然生态系统的干扰也打破了原来生态系统的结构和平衡,由此带来的生态环境影响已经引起人们的高度重视。本文系统分析了城市化过程对河道系统的干扰类型、特征,影响河道生态系统健康的关键过程和河道系统生态修复的基本原则和发展方向。认为城市河道系统受到的干扰主要体现在结构固结化、形态规整化和功能简单化3方面;影响河道生态系统健康的关键过程可归纳为3方面:物质交换通道的阻隔、生物栖息环境的破坏和河道生态水文过程的失衡。指出河道系统的生态修复应该遵循以下6个原则:1)道法自然原则;2)功能引导原则;3)时空尺度分异原则;4)生态循环与平衡原则;5)利益相关者参与原则;6)综合效益最优原则。在此基础上,进一步分析了河道系统生态修复的时空尺度和生态修复的方法以及发展方向。     

基于功能类群分析呼兰河口湿地浮游植物群落结构特征

浮游植物对水环境条件变化敏感,其群落演替特征被广泛应用于指示水环境变化。基于3种浮游植物功能类群方法,对呼兰河口湿地浮游植物群落结构进行研究。于2018年春季（4、5月）、夏季（6、7、8月）和秋季（9、10月）三季,在呼兰河口湿地共设置11个采样点,通过ASNOSIM和SIMPER分析探索FG、MFG和MBFG功能类群的演替特征,基于RDA分析阐述功能类群对环境因子的响应模式。研究期间共鉴定浮游植物243个分类单位,隶属于7门9纲18目32科75属;其种类组成主要以绿藻门（46.09%）、裸藻门（19.34%）和硅藻门（18.52%）为主。共划分FG功能类群25个,MFG功能类群20个,MBFG功能类群6个;ANOSIM分析表明不同季节之间FG和MFG功能类群结构差异显著;SIMPER分析表明S1/Lo/W1/P/J/Y、9b/5a/11b/6a/2c/2d/1c和Ⅲ/Ⅰ类群是影响不同季节之间功能类群变化的主要类群;RDA分析表明,FG、MFG和MBFG功能类群的演替受多种环境因素共同影响,其中pH、BOD₅、Tur.和COD_Mn与功能类群演替关系密切。相较于MBFG功能类群,FG和MFG功能类群能更好的响应呼兰河口湿地水环境的空间异质性。     

Phosphorus physiological ecology and molecular mechanisms in marine phytoplankton

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for marine phytoplankton and indeed all life forms. Current data show that P availability is growth‐limiting in certain marine systems and can impact algal species composition. Available P occurs in marine waters as dissolved inorganic phosphate (primarily orthophosphate [Pi]) or as a myriad of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) compounds. Despite numerous studies on P physiology and ecology and increasing research on genomics in marine phytoplankton, there have been few attempts to synthesize information from these different disciplines. This paper is aimed to integrate the physiological and molecular information on the acquisition, utilization, and storage of P in marine phytoplankton and the strategies used by these organisms to acclimate and adapt to variations in P availability. Where applicable, we attempt to identify gaps in our current knowledge that warrant further research and examine possible metabolic pathways that might occur in phytoplankton from well‐studied bacterial models. Physical and chemical limitations governing cellular P uptake are explored along with physiological and molecular mechanisms to adapt and acclimate to temporally and spatially varying P nutrient regimes. Topics covered include cellular Pi uptake and feedback regulation of uptake systems, enzymatic utilization of DOP, P acquisition by phagotrophy, P‐limitation of phytoplankton growth in oceanic and coastal waters, and the role of P‐limitation in regulating cell size and toxin levels in phytoplankton. Finally, we examine the role of P and other nutrients in the transition of phytoplankton communities from early succession species (diatoms) to late succession ones (e.g., dinoflagellates and haptophytes).