Spatial patterns of submerged macrophytes and heavy metals in the hypertrophic, contaminated, shallow reservoir Lake Qattieneh/Syria

Abstract

a b s t r a c tOur investigation on macrophytes in Lake Qattieneh, a large, shallow reservoir in western Syria, is a first assessment of ecological status of this lake. We studied spatial distribution patterns of aquatic macrophyte vegetation and heavy metal concentrations to determine if they can be used as indicators of point sources of pollution. Industrial and municipal point sources at the lake shore increase nutrient load and contamination by heavy metals. Water analyses revealed high concentrations of some heavy metals at some littoral sites: Ni 88.7 mg L À1 , Cr 49.99 mg L À1 , Co 14.38 mg L À1 , and Cu 11.65 mg L À1 . Despite hypertrophic conditions and high heavy metal contamination, we recorded several submerged macrophyte species with heterogeneous spatial distribution patterns. Whereas Potamogeton pectinatus L. dominates in the eastern part of the lake, near industrial point sources, both Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Potamogeton lucens L. form extended patches in the western part of the lake. The shallow, littoral areas near villages are dominated by Ranunculus trichophyllus Chaix in Villars and Ceratophyllum demersum L. The west-east gradient in nutrient and heavy metal concentrations in waters and sediments are reflected by the spatial distribution of submersed species. While the heavy metal concentrations of the water body vary considerably in different seasons, the contents in submersed macrophytes integrate seasonal variations of longer time periods. Spatial distribution and tissue accumulation of littoral macrophyte species reflect the environmental conditions at respective sites such as heavy metal contents in water and sediment.

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals by Submerged Macrophytes: Looking for Hyperaccumulators in Eutrophic Lakes

“…11,21,40 Demirezen and Aksoy 18 found positive correlations between tissue concentrations of Pb, Cd, and Cr and environmental concentrations of these heavy metals. Hassan et al 41 also found positive correlations between metals in sediment and plant tissue in Lake Qattieneh. However, no positive correlations (Table 5).…”

Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Hydromacrophytes from Five Coastal Lakes (North-Western Poland, Baltic Sea)

“…In studies covering lakes and dam reservoirs in western Poland, characterised by a comparable degree of anthropopression (Senze et al 2009, Szymanowska et al 1999. Furthermore, tests of water from mine reservoirs in Asia lakes in industrial, urbanised regions gave comparable ranges of values (El-Khatib and El-Sawaf, 1998, Hassan et al 2010, Mishra, 2008, Yang et al 2002.…”

“…Lakes with typically anthropogenic catchment areas in Europe, Asia and Africa also turn out to have approximately the same range of Cd concentrations (El-Khatib and El-Sawaf, 1998, Hassan et al 2010, Samecka-Cymerman and Kempers, 2001, Szymanowska et al 1999. Also in reservoirs of stagnant or flowing water with an agricultural or agricultural-and-woodland catchment area, but with a relatively small load of anthropogenic pollution, located in the south or north of Poland, the concentrations found were more or less the same (Pokorny et al 2015).…”

Lead, mercury and cadmium content in bottom sediments, reed (Phragmites australis) beds and great pond snails (Lymnaea stagnalis) in fishponds and the role of littoral zones in their accumulation

“…Different heavy metal concentrations were found in shallow sites compared to deeper sites (Pip 2006), in sites near contamination sources compared to relatively unaffected sites (Lakatos et al 1999;Hassan et al 2010), in sites with different bedrock characteristic (Pip 2006) or in differently orientated and vegetated sites of the same water body . Our findings of higher heavy metal values in eastern compared to western parts of studied ponds (significant in Hg values in reed stems and Cd values in great pond snails) correspond with the direction of prevailing westerly winds at study sites.…”

“…The research of heavy metal contamination in aquatic environments usually focuses on localities with higher heavy metal input caused by nearby sources (e.g., waste from the chemical industry, larger motorways), where higher concentrations of these elements are often proved Hassan et al 2010). The results of this pilot study contribute to the understanding of heavy metal cycles and their accumulation in fishponds under semi-natural conditions and in less affected landscape with agriculture and woodland areas.…”