Lake and River Restoration: Method, Evaluation and Management

Abstract

Eutrophication has become one of the major environmental issues of global concern due to the adverse effects on water quality, public health and ecosystem sustainability. Fundamental research on the restoration of eutrophic freshwaters, i.e., lakes and rivers, is crucial to support further evidence-based practical implementations. This Special Issue successfully brings together recent research findings from scientists in this field and assembles contributions on lake and river restoration. The 12 published papers can be classified into, and contribute to, three major aspects of this topic. Firstly, a background investigation into the migration of nutrients, and the characteristics of submerged biota, will guide and assist the understanding of the mechanisms of future restoration. Secondly, various restoration strategies, including control of both external and internal nutrients loading, are studied and evaluated. Thirdly, an evaluation of the field sites after restoration treatment is reported in order to support the selection of appropriate restoration approaches. This paper focuses on the current environmental issues related to lake and river restoration and has conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis in order to emphasise the fast-growing attention being paid to the research topic. The research questions and main conclusions from all papers are summarised to focus the attention toward how the presented studies aid gains in scientific knowledge, engineering experience and support for policymakers.

Mitigating antibiotic pollution using cyanobacteria: Removal efficiency, pathways and metabolism

“…The present investigation expanded the potential use of cyanobacteria for antibiotic removal at high concentrations. HABs occur more frequently globally due to the problems of intensive eutrophication, which is detrimental to natural waters (Lyu et al, 2020). Meanwhile, wastewater contaminated with high concentrations of tetracycline, e.g., pharmaceutical wastewater, livestock industry wastes, and emergency releases from hospitals, brings potential resistance-risk to the ecology.…”

Exploring a multifunctional geoengineering material for eutrophication remediation: Simultaneously control internal nutrient load and tackle hypoxia

“…Restoration of the growth of submerged macrophytes plays a crucial role in sustaining the cleared state [44]. However, this is difficult to achieve in eutrophic or black, odorous, water bodies due to both constant internal nutrient release from sediment and to the persistence of anoxic conditions in the benthic zone, even after external nutrient loading has been successfully controlled [45]. With the combination of MFG capping and flocculation, the transparency of the water column may improve, the algal flocs and/or sediment resuspension can be blocked, and sediment anoxia can also be remediated.…”

Activity of Autotrophic Fe(II)-Oxidizing Denitrifiers in Freshwater Lake Sediments

“…In numerous freshwater lakes, Fe is mainly present as Fe(II) under anoxic conditions due to eutrophication. 23,24 Thus, Fe(II)-oxidizing denitrification might be important to N cycling in these environments.…”

“…These studies suggest the existence of autotrophic Fe­(II)-oxidizing denitrification; however, whether autotrophic Fe­(II)-oxidizing denitrifiers play an ecological role in freshwater environments is still unclear. In numerous freshwater lakes, Fe is mainly present as Fe­(II) under anoxic conditions due to eutrophication. , Thus, Fe­(II)-oxidizing denitrification might be important to N cycling in these environments.…”