Factors associated with blooms of cyanobacteria in a large shallow lake, China

Abstract

BackgroundEutrophication of freshwater systems can result in blooms of phytoplankton, in many cases cyanobacteria. This can lead to shifts in structure and functions of phytoplankton communities adversely affecting the quality of drinking water sources, which in turn impairs public health. Relationships between structures of phytoplankton communities and concentrations of the toxicant, microcystin–leucine–arginine (MC-LR), have not been well examined in large shallow lakes. The present study investigated phytoplankton communities at seven locations from January to December of 2015 in Tai Lake, and relationships between structures and diversities of phytoplankton communities and water quality parameters, including concentrations of MC-LR and metals, were analyzed.ResultsA total of 124 taxa of phytoplankton were observed, and the predominant taxa were Microcystis sp. and Dolichospermum flos-aquae of Cyanophyta and Planctonema sp. of Chlorophyta. The greatest diversities of phytoplankton communities, as indicated by species richness, Simpson, Shannon–Wiener, the Berger and Parker, and the Pielou evenness indices, were observed in spring. Furthermore, productivity of phytoplankton was significantly and negatively correlated with diversities. These results demonstrated that Simpson, Shannon–Wiener, the Berger and Parker, and the Pielou evenness indices of phytoplankton communities were significantly related to trophic status and overall primary productivity in Tai Lake. In addition, temperature of surface water, pH, permanganate index, biochemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, arsenic, total nitrogen/total phosphorous ratio, and MC-LR were the main factors associated with structures of phytoplankton communities in Tai Lake.ConclusionThe present study provided helpful information on phytoplankton community structure and diversity in Tai Lake from January to December of 2015. Our findings demonstrated that Simpson, Shannon–Wiener, the Berger and Parker, and the Pielou evenness indices could be used to assess and monitor for status and trends in water quality of Tai Lake. In addition, MC-LR was one of the main factors associated with structures of phytoplankton communities in Tai Lake. The findings may help to address important ecological questions about the impact of a changing environment on biodiversity of lake ecosystems and the control of algae bloom. Further studies are needed to explore the relationship between MC-LR and phytoplankton communities in the laboratory.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12302-018-0152-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Evaluation of bloom dynamics and seasonal abundance of cyanobacteria in eutrophic fish culture ponds at three different regions of Bangladesh

“…In spring bloom, rapid multiplication of cyanobacterial cells due to the availability of adequate amounts of nutrients, rising temperature; bright sunlight and pH were identified as the main factors for bloom formation of cyanobacteria at that time. Similar findings were also reported by Affan et al (2015) and Li et al (2018). Rahman and Jewel (2008) cells/l)ponds.…”

Enhanced soil aggregate stability limits colloidal phosphorus loss potentials in agricultural systems

“…The loss of phosphorus (P) from agricultural soils has been identified as one of the main causes of eutrophication of lakes in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in southern China [1]. Statistics have shown that major lakes and reservoirs in this area were eutrophic and mesotrophic [2][3][4], and the Yangtze River Delta region accounted for 17% of the 10 Tg annual increase in soil P around the world [2]. In soil, colloidal P (P coll ) is the P fraction bound to colloids [5].…”

Does an Emissions Trading Policy Improve Environmental Efficiency? Evidence from China

“…However, alongside this economic development, environmental issues have become increasingly prominent [1,2]. The recent outbreak of a series of environmental pollution incidents, such as the cyanobacteria in Tai Lake during the summer of 2007, the national smog in the winter of 2012, and the dead pigs floating in the Huangpu River in 2013, highlight the negative environmental externalities that accompany Chinese economic growth [3][4][5]. These problems seriously affect individuals' health and regional environmental sustainability [6,7].…”