Temporal and spatial trends in water quality of Lake Taihu,China: analysis from a north to mid-lake transect, 1991–2011

Interpretations of state and trends in lake water quality are generally based on measurements from one or more stations that are considered representative of the response of the lake ecosystem. The objective of this study is to examine how these interpretations may be influenced by station location in a large lake. We addressed this by analyzing trends in water quality variables collected monthly from eight monitoring stations along a transect from the central lake to the north in Lake Taihu (area about 2,338 km²), China, from October 1991 to December 2011. The parameters examined included chlorophyll a (Chl a), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations, and Secchi disk depth (SD). The individual variables were increasingly poorly correlated among stations along the transect from the central lake to the north, particularly for Chl a and TP. The timing of peaks in individual variables was also dependent on station location, with spectral analysis revealing a peak at annual frequency for the central lake station but absence of, or much reduced signal, at this frequency for the near-shore northern station. Percentage annual change values for each of the four variables also varied with station and indicated general improvement in water quality at northern stations, particularly for TN, but little change or decline at central lake stations. Sediment resuspension and tributary nutrient loads were considered to be responsible for some of the variability among stations. Our results indicate that temporal trends in water quality may be station specific in large lakes and that calculated whole-lake trophic status trends or responses to management actions may be specific to the station(s) selected for monitoring and analysis. These results have important implications for efficient design of monitoring programs that are intended to integrate the natural spatial variability of large lakes.     

A vertically integrated eutrophication model and its application to a river-style reservoir-Fuchunjiang,China

Based on a 2-D hydrodynamic model, a vertically integrated eutrophication model was developed. The physical sub-model can be used for calculation of water density at different depths and the water quality sub-model was for calculation of algal growth. Suspended solids were divided into two types of sediment which named cohesive and non-cohesive sediments and simulated using separate methods. The light extinction coefficient used in the underwater light regime sub-model was linearly related to the sum of sediment and phytoplankton biomass. Some components less important to the model were simplified to improve practicability and calculation efficiency. Using field data from Fuchunjiang Reservoir, we calculated the sensitivity of ecological parameters included in this model and validated the model. The results of sensitivity analysis showed that the parameters strongly influenced the phytoplankton biomass including phytoplankton maximum growth rate, respiration rate, non-predatory mortality rate, and settling rate, zooplankton maximum filtration rate, specific extinction coefficient for suspended solids and sediment oxygen demand rate. The model was calibrated by adjusting these parameters. Total chlorophyll a (chl-a) concentrations at different layers in the water column were reproduced very well by the model simulations. The simulated chl-a values were positively correlated to the measured values with Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.92. The mean difference between measured and simulated chl-a concentrations was 12% of the measured chl-a concentration. Measured and simulated DO concentrations were also positively correlated (r=0.74) and the mean difference was 4% of measured DO concentrations. The successful validation of model indicated that it would be very useful in water quality management and algal bloom prediction in Fuchunjiang Reservoir and a good tool for water quality regularation in other river-style reservoirs.     

Study on turbulence characteristics and sensitivity of quadrant analysis to threshold level in Lake Taihu

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The identification of coherent structures is very important in investigating the sediment transport mechanism and controlling the eutrophication in...     

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.     

固体发酵提高水生植物发酵产物蛋白含量的研究

采用微生物固体发酵技术对伊乐藻(Elodea nuttalli)、苦草(Vallinmeria spiralis)和喜旱莲子草(Alterranthera philoxerides)3种高等水生植物进行单细胞蛋白生产的研究,分析单一菌种和混合菌种发酵过程中水生植物粗蛋白含量和纤维素酶活的变化过程.研究结果表明,与单一霉菌发酵相比,利用霉菌与酵母混合发酵,可明显提高发酵产物粗蛋白产量,其中以黑曲霉(Aspergillus niger)与产朊假丝酵母(Candida utilis)混合发酵苦草的粗蛋白含量最高,产物中粗蛋白含量最高可达39.88%,粗蛋白增加率为84.2%,使其有可能成为鱼、家禽和家畜的蛋白饲料来源.因此,利用固体发酵处理水生植物可以实现水生植物的资源化.     

附着生物对沉水植物伊乐藻生长的研究

以沉水植物伊乐藻(Elodea nuttalii(Plant.)ST.John.)为研究对象,室内利用原位湖水进行培养,通过测定伊乐藻的生物量、叶绿素质量分数、光合作用速率等指标,研究了附着生物量的增加对沉水植物伊乐藻的影响。结果表明,随着附着生物处理量的增加,伊乐藻的生物量、叶绿素质量分数以及光合作用速率随之下降,50d后,各处理的生物量与对照相比分别减少了约5%~15%,叶绿素质量分数以及光合作用速率下降了20%~43%、10%~36%。同时也分析了丝状藻对沉水植物伊乐藻的遮阴作用,初步推测附着生物对沉水植物伊乐藻的影响可能是由于附着生物的遮荫作用。研究的结果为揭示富营养化湖泊沉水植被衰退的机理提供了理论依据。     

多孔矿物-聚磷酸铵对甲烷爆炸的协同抑制研究

为探究新型多孔矿物(MTS)-聚磷酸铵(APP)复合粉体对甲烷-空气预混气爆炸的抑制效果,采用20 L球形爆炸装置开展多孔矿物、APP及其复合粉体在不同组成、不同添加浓度条件下的甲烷爆炸抑制试验,并使用热分析仪研究其热解行为.研究结果表明:当粉体添加量为0.100 g/L,多孔矿物与APP质量组成比为1∶3时,复合粉体...