Phytoplankton primary production, chlorophyll-a and nutrient concentrations in the water column of mountainous Lake Phewa, Nepal

The seasonal patterns of phytoplankton primary production, chlorophyll‐a concentration, cell number and several other limnological variables in Lake Phewa, located in the active monsoon zone in Central Himalaya, Nepal, were studied for a year beginning in April 2001. During the study period, the gross primary production and chlorophyll‐a concentrations were relatively low during the monsoon season. The phytoplankton cell number, represented by 24 genera, also fluctuated seasonally, but tended to increase in the pre‐ and post‐monsoon period. These results suggest that the monsoon plays a crucial role in the primary production and phytoplankton dynamics for Lake Phewa. Among the phytoplankton species, Microcystis aeruginosa, a representative species for eutrophic lakes, was the dominant phytoplankton. At the same time, however, it is clear that the lake is not yet heavily eutrophic. The present study suggests that the exchange of lake water during the monsoon season contributes to maintaining the health of the lake against further degradation. Nevertheless, the silt carried in the monsoon rain run‐off from the lake's catchment area suggests increasingly serious degradation problems for this small mountainous lake.     

Limnological features of Funil Reservoir (R.J., Brazil) and indicator properties of rotifers and cladocerans of the zooplankton community

Funil Reservoir receives inflow from a highly industrialized region and acts as a natural sink to pollutants. Among the consequences of the uncontrolled nutrient loading is the constant presence and periodic heavy blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa . This study verified limnological features and zooplankton assemblage of the Funil Reservoir focusing on the environmental-indicator properties of rotifers and cladocerans. The summer bloom of M. aeruginosa caused reductions in water transparency, nitrate and orthophosphate concentrations and raises in chlorophyll a , pH, dissolved oxygen and chemical oxygen demand values. All zooplankton species presented spatial and temporal variations with the exception of the copepods, which were present in all samples. According to canonical correspondence analysis, ammonium was the variable most related to zooplankton variability and different Rotifera and Cladocera assemblages indicated distinct environment conditions. Rotifer taxa associated with increases of water temperature and chlorophyll a concentration were found with high densities during M. aeruginosa blooms. Species of rotifer and cladocerans are suggested as indicators that can be used to identify different physical and chemical gradients or eutrophic increases in Funil Reservoir.     

Algicidal effect of bacterial isolates of Pedobacter sp. against cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa

The aim of this study was to isolate algicidal bacteria so as to control harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (M.aeruginosa) blooms using biological methods. Nine bacterial strains were isolated to inhibit the growth of M. aeruginosa, among which the MaI11-5 bacterial strain exhibited remarkable algicidal activity against M. aeruginosa cells during the test. Based on the 16S rDNA analysis, the isolated MaI11-5 was identified as Pedobacter sp. through morphology and homology research. The results of cocultivation of the cyanobacteria with MaI11-5 algicidal isolates showed obvious algicidal activity against cyanobacterial cells. The algicidal effect of MaI11-5 exceeded 50% after two days, exceeded 70% after four days, and reached 80% after seven days. The observation results with a scanning electron microscope showed that the cyanobacterial cells aggregated and produced mucous-like substances when cocultivated with the algicidal bacteria. The results indicated that the MaI11-5 bacterial strain may possess a novel function for controlling harmful blooms and further studies will provide new insights into its role in water environment.     

Tree colonization trends on a sediment bar after a major flood

Tree mortality and regeneration in riparian areas are greatly influenced by flooding. The elevational distribution of Salix spp. and Robinia pseudoacacia were investigated by observing densities and standing conditions before and after a major flood on a sediment bar in the middle reaches of the Arakawa River in Kumagaya, Japan. The subsequent tree recruitment was also examined. R. pseudoacacia was easily washed away with the eroded sediment, whereas Salix spp. was found to be more tolerant. Both species were able to survive even after collapsing, provided that their roots were fully or partially embedded in the sediment. Re‐shooting of collapsed trees, rather than emergence from saplings (either by seeds or vegetative fragments), was observed to be the major method of recruitment after the flood. Therefore, tree density before the flood was unchanged, unless the trees were subject to washing away. Salix spp. recruitment was mainly observed in low‐lying areas and R. pseudoacacia in elevated areas. Recruitment from saplings was species‐specific. Salix spp. at high elevations originated mainly from shoot fragments as they need high levels of moisture for seed germination and at higher elevations, sediment moisture content is very low. R. pseudoacacia, on other hand, originated mainly from roots and seeds. At a given elevation, past recruitment patterns indicated that the annual recruitment of trees increased with tree density up to a particular threshold of recruitment density. Further increases in tree density beyond that optimum value resulted in a decline in recruitment. Furthermore, threshold density was observed to increase along with elevation for R. pseudoacacia while declining with Salix spp. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mitigating cyanobacterial blooms: how effective are ‘effective microorganisms’?

This study examined the effects of ‘Effective Microorganisms (EM)’ on the growth of cyanobacteria, and their ability to terminate cyanobacterial blooms. The EM was tested in the form of ‘mudballs’ or ‘Bokashi‐balls’, and as a suspension (EM‐A) in laboratory experiments. No growth inhibition was observed for a laboratory strain of Microcystis aeruginosa and for M. aeruginosa from the field at the recommended dosage of 1 EM‐mudball per square‐metre (≈0.1–0.3 g L^?1). Cyanobacteria were inhibited only at very high concentrations (5–10 g L^?1 cyanobacteria), and a bloom was reduced, being attributed to the high amount of clay and high water turbidity. For these high dosage treatments, the dissolved oxygen concentration dropped initially to very low levels, with longer incubation indicating that nutrients were released from the material. The EM‐A suspension appeared ineffective in hampering cyanobacterial growths at recommended usage concentrations. EM‐mudballs released phosphate (160 μg P g^?1) and metals (aluminium, copper, traces of lead and lanthanum). The results of this study did not support the hypothesis that EM are effective in preventing cyanobacterial proliferation or in terminating blooms, thereby suggesting lake restoration by ‘Effective Microorganisms’ is not a convincing eutrophication control option.     

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms in a shallow, artificially mixed urban lake in Colorado, USA

One of the most severe problems associated with eutrophication of urban freshwater ecosystems is the occurrence of increasingly frequent blooms of toxic cyanobacteria. Cyanotoxins might accumulate in the trophic web, producing diverse intoxication symptoms and chronic effects that are difficult to diagnose and prevent. High mortality of domestic animals and fish has been reported previously under these prevailing conditions. This study investigates the taxonomic composition of phytoplankton assemblages in Sheldon Lake during the summer of 2004, a year after the completion of a restoration project on the lake. The study analysed the physical and chemical changes caused by urban run‐off and artificial mixing, as well as the usefulness of microcystin molecular markers derived from the mcy gene cluster for the detection of toxic cyanobacterial strains in environmental samples from Sheldon Lake. This study clearly demonstrates that the artificial mixing rate alone was insufficient to cause a transition to a well‐mixed aquatic system, and that cyanobacteria remained dominant throughout the summer months. The presence of toxic cyanobacterial strains was confirmed with the use of molecular markers that detected the presence of the mcy gene cluster responsible for the production of toxin by Microcystis spp. This approach might have a great potential use in the routine analyses of urban aquatic ecosystems. It also might make toxicity monitoring more feasible, allowing for the early application of corrective actions, especially for cases such as Sheldon Lake, which is a public recreational focal point.     

混凝沉淀工艺对不同优势藻类的去除特性研究

为了考察混凝沉淀工艺的除藻性能在不同藻类优势期内的变化,将试验过程分为绿藻优势期和蓝藻优势期两个阶段,进行进水藻类群落结构特征及其变化对混凝沉淀除藻效能的影响研究.结果表明,混凝沉淀在绿藻优势期和蓝藻优势期的除藻效率分别为68.3%和40.4%,且各种藻类的去除效能并无明显的相互影响.蓝藻优势期的藻类去除率大大低于绿藻优势期,其根本原因在于占优势地位的微囊藻的生理生态特征.因此,把水中的所有藻类笼统地作为一个去除对象是不适宜的,应分析水中藻类群落结构特征,并根据特定原水中的优势藻种类进行针对性的除藻方案研究.     

预氧化对混凝-气浮工艺去除铜绿微囊藻效果的影响

研究了预氧化(高锰酸钾、氯、过氧化氢)对混凝-溶气气浮工艺去除铜绿微囊藻的影响.通过检测出水浊度、藻类浓度以及UV254等指标来评价预氧化对藻类的去除效果.试验结果表明:在氧化剂最佳投量下,经过KMnO4、Cl2和H2O2预氧化后,藻类去除率分别提高了10.81%、11.65%以及9%,其中以氯对藻类去除效果最好,但预氯化过程中引起了藻细胞的破裂使得胞内有机物释放到水中,造成出水中UV254的升高.几种氧化剂对比研究结果表明,采用高锰酸钾预氧化不仅能够节约经济费用,而且不会因藻体内有机物的大量外流而降低出水水质的安全性.     

A role for aeration and intake depth in managing toxic Cylindrospermopsis: A comparison between off‐stream and riverine environments in the Fitzroy Basin,Australia

Cylindrospermopsis is a cyanobacterial species of global concern, due to its ability to produce potent toxins and its near‐cosmopolitan distribution. To date, both management and research efforts for Cylindrospermopsis have focused on riverine settings. By contrast, off‐stream storages are inadequately studied, particularly in terms of population dynamics and toxin profiles, how these are linked with the riverine systems that seed them, and what management options are best for optimizing water quality. This is a critical gap, given that storages are key off‐take points for many water users, including for livestock watering and industrial supply. This study examined the relationship between a riverine and an off‐stream environment, with respect to the development of toxic Cylindrospermopsis blooms in central Queensland. It discusses the role of an aeration system in preventing or delaying bloom development and explores the implications of intake depth with respect to population (cell density) and toxicity. Along the impounded river, the study sites featured warm, stratified conditions and an anoxic hypolimnion. By contrast, the off‐stream storage dam lacked stratification, due to the constant aeration provided by a hypolimnetic bubbler. Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii blooms appeared in both environments, with peak cellular concentrations detected in the subsurface waters. The dynamics of the toxin profiles differed, however, with the riverine concentrations being mostly epilimnetic, whereas the dam featured toxin distributed throughout the water column. Concentrations of both cylindrospermopsin (CYN) and deoxy‐cylindrospermopsin (deoxy‐CYN) were lower in the dam, compared with the riverine sites. A one‐month lag period was evident before C. raciborskii cells appeared in the dam following their observation in the river samples, and a similar period elapsed before the dam populations reached their peak concentrations. These data are invaluable in considering the best management options for off‐stream sites that experience seeding from riverine populations, particularly for toxin producers such as Cylindrospermopsis.     

穗花狐尾藻种植水对铜绿微囊藻的影响

为了探究营养水平对沉水植物化感抑藻作用的影响,选取室外条件下自然繁殖生长的沉水植物穗花狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)种植水,研究有害蓝藻铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)产毒株和非产毒株在两种营养水平下对穗花狐尾藻种植水的生长生理响应。结果表明:穗花狐尾藻种植水显著抑制产毒株和非产毒株的生长(P<0.05),影响生理过程,但低营养水平下的抑制作用更强(P<0.05);营养加富穗花狐尾藻种植水暴露9 d后,对产毒株和非产毒株生长的抑制率分别为23.5%和20.9%,对光合系统Ⅱ实际光合效能的抑制率分别为7.4%和17.6%,丙二醛浓度分别增大5.6%和9.1%;而直接将铜绿微囊藻接种到穗花狐尾藻原种植水中,对产毒株和非产毒株生长的抑制率分别为60.7%和49.3%,对光合系统Ⅱ实际光合效能的抑制率分别为15.4%和23.4%,丙二醛浓度分别增大11.1%和18.2%。