Dynamics of cyanobacterial bloom formation during short-term hydrodynamic fluctuation in a large shallow, eutrophic, and wind-exposed Lake Taihu, China

Short-term hydrodynamic fluctuations caused by extreme weather events are expected to increase worldwide because of global climate change, and such fluctuations can strongly influence cyanobacterial blooms. In this study, the cyanobacterial bloom disappearance and reappearance in Lake Taihu, China, in response to short-term hydrodynamic fluctuations, was investigated by field sampling, long-term ecological records, high-frequency sensors and MODIS satellite images. The horizontal drift caused by the dominant easterly wind during the phytoplankton growth season was mainly responsible for cyanobacterial biomass accumulation in the western and northern regions of the lake and subsequent bloom formation over relatively long time scales. The cyanobacterial bloom changed slowly under calm or gentle wind conditions. In contrast, the short-term bloom events within a day were mainly caused by entrainment and disentrainment of cyanobacterial colonies by wind-induced hydrodynamics. Observation of a westerly event in Lake Taihu revealed that when the 30 min mean wind speed (flow speed) exceeded the threshold value of 6 m/s (5.7 cm/s), cyanobacteria in colonies were entrained by the wind-induced hydrodynamics. Subsequently, the vertical migration of cyanobacterial colonies was controlled by hydrodynamics, resulting in thorough mixing of algal biomass throughout the water depth and the eventual disappearance of surface blooms. Moreover, the intense mixing can also increase the chance for forming larger and more cyanobacterial colonies, namely, aggregation. Subsequently, when the hydrodynamics became weak, the cyanobacterial colonies continuously float upward without effective buoyancy regulation, and cause cyanobacterial bloom explosive expansion after the westerly. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that the strong wind happening frequently during April and October can be an important cause of the formation and expansion of cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu.     

Cyanobacterial bloom expansion caused by typhoon disturbance in Lake Taihu China

It remains unclear why the area of a cyanobacterial bloom increases in a shallow lake after a typhoon passes. In this study, the mechanisms of cyanobacterial bloom expansion were investigated by studying meteorological factors, water quality, algal biomass, and bloom area in Lake Taihu before and after typhoons (2007–2016). Our results showed that typhoon-induced sediment resuspension caused a short-term increase in nutrients, but nutrients returned to pre-typhoon levels after the typhoon passages. The short-term nutrient release during a typhoon did not result in an obvious increase in Microcystis cell density in two bays of Lake Taihu (Gonghu and Meiliang). Under strong winds, Microcystis aggregates were uniformly distributed in the water column downwind and then dispersed into different directions by wind-driven currents. In particular, Microcystis in the surface water were transported to the center of Lake Taihu. After a typhoon, dispersed Microcystis refloated and formed blooms. Thus, the bloom area was enlarged compared with before a typhoon. Several days after a typhoon, the bloom area gradually reduced as a result of a steady breeze on the horizontal accumulation of Microcystis.

     

太湖北部藻类生长旺盛期大气氮、磷沉降特征

按照<大气降水样品的采集与保存标准>(GB/T 153580.2-92)收集大气N、P沉降物和降水量,并测定了2007年5～11月太湖北部梅梁湾藻类生长旺盛期间大气TN、TP的干、湿沉降通量.结果表明,太湖北部梅粱湾大气TN月湿沉降通量和月总沉降通量的变化趋势均呈双峰型特征,与当地梅雨和台风侵袭时的降水量呈明显正相关,并且TN的月湿沉降通量高于月干沉降适量,但降水量最少的11月则相反;大气TP月干、月湿沉降通量呈相互交替的变化趋势.大气N沉降物中主要以溶解性氮(TDN)为主,平均约占91.4%;而P沉降物中溶解性磷(TDP)占的比例相对较低,平均约为65.1%.经测定,2007年太湖北部梅梁湾TN和TP的年沉降通量分别为2 976、84.0 kg/km2,相比2002年7月至2003年6月分别下降34.4%和78.7%;2007年太湖北部梅粱湾大气TN的年沉降量高达6 958 t,远超过太湖湖泊生态系统理论允许的TN年沉降量.     

改性当地土壤湖泊综合修复技术对浮游植物群落变动的影响

采用改性当地土壤湖泊综合修复技术从2008年夏季到2010年夏季连续在太湖十八湾围隔内实施夏季应急除藻工程和春季底泥调控工程,通过连续监测浮游植物的群落变动发现:在2009年,春季和夏季工程后浮游植物门类虽在短时间内减少,但是一个月内均又恢复,而且春季工程在短时间内可以在一定程度上抑制蓝藻的种类和比例的增加,又可提高硅藻和绿藻的种类和比例,这对于春季沉水植被的恢复和抑制蓝藻的复苏都有积极意义;从长时间周年变化来看,春季和夏季工程在围隔内连续实施2年,蓝藻水华暴发周期和暴发规模均呈逐渐缩短趋势。这对于进一步开展蓝藻复苏和蓝藻水华暴发的机理研究和控制技术的研究都有一定的指导意义。     

Influence of algal bloom degradation on nutrient release at the sediment–water interface in Lake Taihu, China

Algal bloom could drastically influence the nutrient cycling in lakes. To understand how the internal nutrient release responds to algal bloom decay, water and sediment columns were sampled at 22 sites from four distinct regions of China’s eutrophic Lake Taihu and incubated in the laboratory to examine the influence of massive algal bloom decay on nutrient release from sediment. The column experiment involved three treatments: (1) water and sediment (WS); (2) water and algal bloom (WA); and (3) water, sediment, and algal bloom (WSA). Concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), ammonium (NH ₄ ⁺ -N), and orthophosphate (PO ₄ ^3? -P) were recorded during incubation. The decay of algal material caused a more rapid decrease in DO than in the algae-free controls and led to significant increases in NH ₄ ⁺ -N and PO ₄ ^3? -P in the water. The presence of algae during the incubation had a regionally variable effect on sediment nutrient profiles. In the absence of decaying algae (treatment WS), sediment nutrient concentrations decreased during the incubation. In the presence of blooms (WSA), sediments from the river mouth released P to the overlying water, while sediments from other regions absorbed surplus P from the water. This experiment showed that large-scale algal decay will dramatically affect nutrient cycling at the sediment–water interface and would potentially transfer the function of sediment as “container” or “supplier” in Taihu, although oxygen exchange with atmosphere in lake water was stronger than in columns. The magnitude of the effect depends on the physical–chemical character of the sediments.     

介质阻挡放电对湖泊水华蓝藻的去除

采用介质阻挡放电等离子体技术去除太湖水华蓝藻,考察了放电输出功率、空气流速、添加剂(异丙醇、腐植酸)等对蓝藻去除的影响。结果表明,介质阻挡放电能去除太湖水华蓝藻,放电功率100 W,空气流速1.0 L/min,放电18min,在光照强度2 000 lx和25℃下培养4 d,初始叶绿素a浓度为9.58 mg/L藻液中蓝藻去除率达87.8%。增加放电输出功率和空气流速能提高蓝藻的去除效率;腐植酸促进了介质阻挡放电对蓝藻的去除;而异丙醇添加剂抑制了介质阻挡放电的作用。放电处理后,蓝藻细胞内类胡萝卜素含量、SOD活性、MDA含量发生明显变化,介质阻挡放电破坏了蓝藻细胞内含物。     

基于解释结构模型法的太湖水华爆发要素分析

根据太湖水华爆发特点及文献资料检索,从气象、水动力、化学和生物等4个方面筛选出太湖水华爆发的17个要素,利用解释结构模型(ISM)分析了各要素之间的直接(因果)关系和间接关系,推导出太湖水华爆发要素整体关联层次结构图,从6个层次上直观反映了水华爆发过程,从系统角度分析了水华爆发原因,为水华预防及治理提供了若干参考依据.     

On the successful use of a simplified model to simulate the succession of toxic cyanobacteria in a hypereutrophic reservoir with a highly fluctuating water level

Many freshwater bodies worldwide that suffer from harmful algal blooms would benefit for their management from a simple ecological model that requires few field data, e.g. for early warning systems. Beyond a certain degree, adding processes to ecological models can reduce model predictive capabilities. In this work, we assess whether a simple ecological model without nutrients is able to describe the succession of cyanobacterial blooms of different species in a hypereutrophic reservoir and help understand the factors that determine these blooms. In our study site, Karaoun Reservoir, Lebanon, cyanobacteria Aphanizomenon ovalisporum and Microcystis aeruginosa alternatively bloom. A simple configuration of the model DYRESM-CAEDYM was used; both cyanobacteria were simulated, with constant vertical migration velocity for A. ovalisporum, with vertical migration velocity dependent on light for M. aeruginosa and with growth limited by light and temperature and not by nutrients for both species. The model was calibrated on two successive years with contrasted bloom patterns and high variations in water level. It was able to reproduce the measurements; it showed a good performance for the water level (root-mean-square error (RMSE) lower than 1 m, annual variation of 25 m), water temperature profiles (RMSE of 0.22–1.41 °C, range 13–28 °C) and cyanobacteria biomass (RMSE of 1–57 μg Chl a L^?1, range 0–206 μg Chl a L^?1). The model also helped understand the succession of blooms in both years. The model results suggest that the higher growth rate of M. aeruginosa during favourable temperature and light conditions allowed it to outgrow A. ovalisporum. Our results show that simple model configurations can be sufficient not only for theoretical works when few major processes can be identified but also for operational applications. This approach could be transposed on other hypereutrophic lakes and reservoirs to describe the competition between dominant phytoplankton species, contribute to early warning systems or be used for management scenarios.     

Response of sediment calcium and magnesium species to the regional acid deposition in eutrophic Taihu Lake,China

Acid deposition causes carbonate dissolution in watersheds and leads to profound impacts on water chemistry of lakes. Here, we presented a detailed study on the seasonal, spatial, and vertical variations of calcium and magnesium species in the overlying water, interstitial water, and sediment profiles in eutrophic Taihu Lake under the circumstance of regional acid deposition. The result showed that both the acid deposition and biomineralization in Taihu Lake had effects on Ca and Mg species. In the lake water, calcium carbonate was saturated or over-saturated based on long-term statistical calculation of the saturation index (SI). On the sediment profiles, significant difference in Ca and Mg species existed between the surface sediment (0–10 cm) and deeper sediments (>10 cm). The interstitial water Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, ion-exchangeable Ca and Mg in the surface sediment were higher than those in the deeper sediment. In the spring, when the acid deposition is more intensive, the acid-extracted Ca and Mg in the surface sediment were lower than that in the deeper sediment in the northwest lake, due to carbonate dissolution caused by the regional acid deposition. Spatially, the higher concentration of acid-extracted Ca and Mg in the northwest surface sediment than that in the east lake was observed, indicating the pronounced carbonate biomineralization by algae bloom in the northwest lake. Statistical analysis showed that acid deposition exerted a stronger impact on the variation of acid-extracted Ca and Mg in the surface sediment than the biomineralization in Taihu Lake. For the total Ca and Mg concentration in the spring, however, no significant change between the surface and deeper sediment in the northwest lake was observed, indicating that the carbonate precipitation via biomineralization and the carbonate dissolution due to acidic deposition were in a dynamic balance. These features are of major importance for the understanding of combined effects of acid deposition and eutrophication on freshwater lakes.

     

除藻剂应急治理玄武湖蓝藻水华实验研究

湖泊富营养化是中国目前及今后相当长一段时期内的重大水环境问题,研究蓝藻水华治理的关键技术具有重要的生态和环境意义.2005年9月在南京玄武湖开展了化学除藻剂治理蓝藻水华的实验研究,除藻剂平均用量为26.87 g/m2,治理后实验区藻类总量下降了82.8%;水体各项理化指标得到一定改善,但停止洒药后部分指标回升;浮游动物未出现显著变化.实验结果表明,除藻剂可能在短时间内除抑蓝藻,但不能从根本上解决湖泊富营养化问题.     

Use of protein phosphatase inhibition assay to detect microcystins in Donghu Lake and a fish pond in China

Seasonal variations in the level of total microcystins in water samples collected from Donghu Lake and a fish pond in Wuhan, China, were studied between March 1995 and February 1996 using a protein phosphatase inhibition assay involving a radioactive 32P-labelled substrate. The assay is highly reliable and repeatable, and is probably the most sensitive assay for microcystin detection to date. Results of the survey indicated the presence of microcystins in the water samples, and the concentration of microcystins appeared to be related to the degree of eutrophication and water temperature. There is also a correlative relationship between the quantity of microcystins and the abundance of microcystin-producing cyanobacteria (Anabaena and Oscillatoria) in the water bodies over a year cycle. In the present study, the positive detection of microcystins in water bodies having no signs of algal bloom warns of considerable potential threat of these waters to public health.     

巢湖蓝藻的机械清除工艺以及藻水分离实验研究简

对巢湖蓝藻进行机械清除以及藻水分离实验研究，实验采用的浮式围栏引导-机械清除-投加剥离液辅助机械清除工艺处理量大，除藻效率高，筛网过滤-浓缩-卧螺离心机脱水成藻泥的藻水分离工艺较为理想，藻泥含水率仅为89%。2011年5—10月在巢湖运用上述方法清除湖面水华蓝藻，共处理富藻水1.6万m³，得到藻泥970 t，累计清除蓝藻106.7 t（干重）。按照所清除蓝藻的总氮、总磷的平均含量计算，相当于从湖中移除了氮6.25 t，磷2.1 t。表明在富营养湖泊中水华蓝藻大量暴发时，采用上述方法除藻，对控制蓝藻水华污染，有效降低内源氮、磷等污染物负荷具有十分重要的作用。     

基于CA-MAS的水域总有机碳扩散模拟研究

当前水环境污染扩散研究一般基于普通数值模型模拟,忽略了水污染扩散微观驱动力的影响。为能更真实地反映其动态扩散过程,针对水域总有机碳(TOC)扩散机理,基于CA和MAS技术,将影响TOC扩散的自然和社会经济因素抽象为微观的水流Agent、风速Agent、径流量Agent、污水排放口Agent、人工管理Agent以及农业生产地Agent,将研究水域抽象为CA元胞空间,建立了CA-MAS水域总有机碳扩散模型,对水域总有机碳的动态演化过程进行模拟,并以武汉理工大学鉴湖水域作为实验区域,借助NetLogo仿真平台完成了模型的实现与验证。模拟结果表明,该模型基本能够反映水体总有机碳的扩散规律,可以为水环境污染控制提供参考。     

巢湖蓝藻的机械清除工艺以及藻水分离实验研究

对巢湖蓝藻进行机械清除以及藻水分离实验研究，实验采用的浮式围栏引导一机械清除．投加剥离液辅助机械清除工艺处理量大，除藻效率高，筛网过滤-浓缩-卧螺离心机脱水成藻泥的藻水分离工艺较为理想，藻泥含水率仅为89％。2011年5-10月在巢湖运用上述方法清除湖面水华蓝藻，共处理富藻水1．6万m3，得到藻泥970t，累计清除蓝藻106．7t（干重）。按照所清除蓝藻的总氮、总磷的平均含量计算，相当于从湖中移除了氮6．25t，磷2．1t。表明在富营养湖泊中水华蓝藻大量暴发时，采用上述方法除藻，对控制蓝藻水华污染，有效降低内源氮、磷等污染物负荷具有十分重要的作用。     

赤泥复合剂絮凝处理太湖水华藻与海洋赤潮藻

研究了一种新型赤泥复合剂对太湖夏季水华原水、实验室培养海洋赤潮藻及模拟海水的絮凝除藻降浊性能。结果表明,赤泥复合剂具有良好的除藻降浊效果,对太湖水华藻去除率为97.3%,原水浊度去除率为95%;对海洋小球藻和三角褐指藻2种赤潮藻去除率分别高达99.1%和98.9%;对2种模拟海水的最高除浊率分别为96.3%和95.3%,其剩余浊度均低于4 NTU,从而为治理淡水水华与海洋赤潮提供一种新技术,同时为赤泥综合利用提供一种新途径。     

Spatiotemporal distribution of water environmental capacity—a case study on the western areas of Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province,China

Currently, the poor water quality in Taihu Lake is a major problem in China, so pollution control in the upstream areas has become a government priority. In Jiangsu Province, pollution emissions around the western areas of Taihu Lake, including Changzhou Municipality and Yixing City, need to be highly restricted, and calculating the water environmental capacity is important if pollution is to be reduced. In this study, 19 control units in these areas were established, and a 0-D mathematical model was used to calculate the water environmental capacity. For three important control units with important cross sections, a 1-D model was established to redress the results. Finally, the total maximum monthly loads of each control unit were obtained using temporal allocation principles. The results suggested that (1) the total pollution control of chemical oxygen demand was 58,894.2 tonnes per annum (t a^?1), with ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus amounting to 3,808, 6,054.6, and 386.6 t a^?1, respectively; (2) water environmental capacity per unit water area in the ambient control units was smaller than that in the middle control units; and (3) the largest water environmental capacity was in June, and the smallest capacity was in December. The study provides important information for local governments, which will enable them to implement pollution control strategies that will improve the water quality in Taihu Lake.     

Dynamics of the water bloom-forming <Emphasis Type="Italic">Microcystis</Emphasis> and its relationship with physicochemical factors in Lake Xuanwu (China)

Purpose  

China’s freshwater subtropical shallow lakes are increasingly eutrophic and susceptible to production of heavy growths or water blooms of cyanobacteria. One example was the heavy water bloom that occurred for the first time in Lake Xuanwu, in 2005, an urban lake located in Nanjing city. The aim of the present study was to determine dynamics of water bloom dominating Microcystis in this lake. Meanwhile, the relationship between environmental factors and Microcystis populations was also analyzed.     

Bacterial diversity and function in the Baltic Sea with an emphasis on cyanobacteria

In this article we summarize the current knowledge of Baltic Sea cyanobacteria, focusing on diversity, toxicity, and nitrogen fixation in the filamentous heterocystous taxa. We also review the recent results of our microbial diversity studies in planktonic and benthic habitats in the Baltic Sea. Based on molecular analyses, we have improved the understanding of cyanobacterial population structure by assessing genetic diversity within species that are morphologically inseparable. Moreover, we have studied microbial functions such as toxin production and nitrogen fixation in situ under different environmental conditions. Phosphorus limitation of bloom-forming, nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria was clearly verified, emphasizing the importance of continuous efforts to reduce this element in the Baltic Sea. We have designed a rapid and reliable detection method for the toxic cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena, which can be used to study bloom formation of this important toxin producer.     

Effects of suspended solids on cyanobacterial bloom formation under different wind fields

Wind waves and suspended solids (SS) generated by the resuspension of sediments are ubiquitous characteristics of lake ecosystems. However, their effects on phytoplankton remain poorly elucidated in shallow eutrophic lakes. Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the responses of Microcystis aeruginosa to SS under static (wind speed of 0 m/s) and breeze (wind speed of 3 m/s) conditions. Results showed that 50 mg/L SS can promote the growth of M. aeruginosa, accelerate the formation of colonies, and increase the floating rate under no-wind conditions. Comparing with static environment, breeze can significantly increase the growth rate of M. aeruginosa and benefit the formation of larger colonies of algae cells. Driven by wind and SS, the buoyancy of the cyanobacteria community in different experimental groups was obviously different. The specific performance was that low SS concentration and breeze were in favor of the floating of cyanobacteria, while high SS concentration went against the floating of algal cells. As a conclusion, wind speed of 3 m/s and 20–50 mg/L SS have a synergistic effect on the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. This study can provide an improved current understanding of bloom formation and turbidity management strategies in shallow eutrophic lakes.

     

Effects of hydrological change on the risk of riverine algal blooms: case study in the mid-downstream of the Han River in China

Algal blooms usually occur in semi-closed water bodies such as lakes or estuaries; however, it has occurred frequently in the mid-downstream of the Han River (MSHR) in China since the 1990s. We made a comparative analysis of the hydrological conditions and identified the hydrological condition thresholds that induce algal blooms. From the hydrodynamic point of view, the changes and characteristics of the hydrological conditions in the MSHR were analyzed. Furthermore, the influence on the risk of algal blooms under different design water transfer schemes for the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) was studied. The results indicated that (1) the flow in the MSHR less than 900 m³/s and water level in the Yangtze River higher than 14 m provided a suitable hydrological environment for diatoms multiply. (2) The flow of the MSHR showed a downtrend, while the water level of the Yangtze River showed an uptrend. There were variations in hydrological processes. Through specific IHA index analysis, the fact of flow reduction in the MSHR was demonstrated, and further indicated that algal bloom outbreak was in low flow period. (3) The water transfer in the middle route of SNWDP affected the risk probability of algal blooms. The more the amount of water transfer, the greater the risk probability of algal blooms. It was the Water Diversion Project from Yangtze River to Han River (WDPYHR) that replenished flow of the MSHR and was conducive to the prevention and control of algal bloom risk.