Spatial, Seasonal and Inter‐annual Variability in Environmental Characteristics and Phytoplankton Standing Stock of the Temperate, Lowland Rideau River, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Chlorophyll‐a, biomass and living unit concentrations were monitored across the Rideau River over a three‐year period. The results show that a continuum of changing physical, biological and chemical conditions altered the phytoplankton standing stock of the Rideau River. From year to year, weather conditions and anthropogenic impacts like discharge control had a clear effect on the phytoplankton community. The year 2000, with poorer growing conditions and higher flow regime, had a significantly lower phytoplankton standing stock across all the stations. Based on hydrological characteristics, the Rideau River was divided into four distinct reaches, and ANOVAs show a clear reach effect on phytoplankton standing stock. The invasive zebra mussel consistently reduced the phytoplankton standing stock downstream from the main invasion zone over the three years, although there were differences between years. The non‐native zebra mussel further altered the phosphorus–phytoplankton standing stock relationship. Nutrients, ions and metals were not clearly correlated to standing stock in this three‐year study, although the significant effect of the four reaches suggested that environmental characteristics other than hydrological conditions may have an influence. Phytoplankton development downstream followed a polynomial model. However, unlike the stages of development characterizing many river continuum models, the pattern observed in the present study was affected by zebra mussels followed by anthropogenic impacts of discharge control and eutrophication. This and other studies on the Rideau River highlight the significance of scale (spatial and temporal) and metrics selected when evaluating environmental impacts and developing watershed models. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Forecasting the magnitude and composition of phytoplankton blooms in a eutrophic lowland river (Rivière Yamaska, Que., Canada)

“…Results from the present study supported our first hypothesis that discharge and D r a f t (Phlips et al 2007). Light availability limited phytoplankton abundance in blackwater lowland rivers such as the Rio Negro (Brazil) (Hammer 1965), the Rideau (Canada) (Hamilton et al 2012) and the St. Johns (U.S.A.) (Phlips et al 2000).…”

Abiotic factors controlling the seasonal and spatial patterns of phytoplankton community in the Tigris River, Turkey

“…Phytoplankton abundance in the Tigris River ranged from 88 to 5,185 cells/ml, which is lower than numbers reported for the River Yeşilırmak in Turkey (50–17,450 cells/ml; Soylu & Gönülol, ), the Rideau River in Canada (1.6–31 × 10 3 cells/ml; Hamilton, Lavoie, & Poulin, ), the Mississippi River in USA (3,800–77,000 cells/ml; Decker, Wehr, Houser, & Richardson, ), the Danube River in Hungary (20–60 × 10 3 cells/ml; Kiss, Schmidt, & Acs, ), the Ebro River in Spain (1–38,562 cells/ml; Tornes et al, ), the Po River in Italy (0–25,000 cells/ml; Tavernini et al, ), or the River Meuse in Belgium (<1,000–25,000 cells/ml; Descy et al, ). The Paraguay River has phytoplankton abundances 731–1,876 cells/ml, which is lower than those of the Tigris River (Zalocar de Domitrovic, ).…”

Characteristics, Main Impacts, and Stewardship of Natural and Artificial Freshwater Environments: Consequences for Biodiversity Conservation

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