Growth and nutrient accumulation of Phragmites australis in relation to water level variation and nutrient loadings in a shallow lake

Shallow lake eutrophication is a global environmental issue. This study investigated the effects of water level variation and nutrient loadings on the growth and nutrient accumulation of Phragmites australis (reed) by field samplings in Baiyangdian Lake, the largest shallow lake of northern China. The field samplings were conducted in two sites of different nutrient loadings during the whole growth period of reeds, and three types of zones with different water depths were chosen for each site, including the terrestrial zone with water level below the ground, the ecotone zone with the water level varying from belowground to aboveground, and the submerged zone with water level above the ground. The result showed that reed growth was more limited by water level variation than nutrient loadings. The average stem lengths and diameters in terrestrial zones were about 26.3%-27.5% and 7.2%-12.0% higher than those in submerged zones, respectively. Similarly, the terrestrial status increased the aboveground biomass of reeds by 36.6%-51.8% compared with the submerged status. Both the nutrient concentrations and storages in the aboveground reeds were mainly influenced by the nutrient loadings in surface water and sediment rather than the water level variation of the reed growth environment, and the nutrient storages reached their maxima in late August or early September. It was observed that the maximum nitrogen storage occurred in the terrestrial zone with higher nutrient loadings, with the value of 74.5 g/m². This study suggested that water level variation and nutrient loadings should be considered when using reeds to control and remediate eutrophication of shallow lakes.