Spring bloom in a hypereutrophic lake, lake Kasumigaura, Japan—II Succession of phytoplankton species

Numerous phytoplankton species in Lake Kasumigaura were shown to comprise the Spring bloom in 1980. The predominant phytoplankton species that appeared during the Spring bloom belonged to 28 genera. A few species among them increased at any time to form a phytoplankton pulse, but the few species of phytoplankters that comprised a phytoplankton pulse did not exclude completely other phytoplankters. During the Spring bloom, one pulse was replaced by another pulse composed of a new grouping of different species. Throughout these replacements by natural selection in the bloom were numerous other species by phytoplankters at levels of abundance somewhat less than those which formed phytoplankton pulse.     

Phytoplankton community succession shaping bacterioplankton community composition in Lake Taihu, China

PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to explore the relationship between succession of phytoplankton community and temporal variation of bacterioplankton community composition (BCC) in the eutrophic Lake Taihu. Serious Microcystis bloom was observed in July-December 2008 and Bacillariophyta and Cryptophyta dominated in January-June 2009. BCC was characterized by DGGE of 16S rRNA gene with subsequent sequencing. The DGGE banding patterns revealed a remarkable seasonality which was closely related to phytoplankton community succession. Variation trend of Shannon-Wiener diversity index in bacterioplankton community was similar to that of phytoplankton community. CCA revealed that temperature and phytoplankton played key roles in structuring BCC. Sequencing of DGGE bands suggested that the majority of the sequences were affiliated with common phylogenetic groups in freshwater: Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The cluster STA2-30 (affiliated with Actinobacteria) was found almost across the sampling time at the two study sites. We observed that the family Flavobacteriaceae (affiliated with Bacteroidetes) tightly coupled to diatom bloom and the cluster ML-5-51.2 (affiliated with Actinobacteria) dominated the bacterioplankton communities during Microcystis bloom. These results were quite similar at the two sampling sites, indicating that BCC changes were not random but with fixed pattern. Our study showed insights into relationships between phytoplankton and bacterioplankton communities at species level, facilitating a better understanding of microbial loop and ecosystem functioning in the lake.     

Spring bloom in a hypereutrophic lake, lake Kasumigaura, Japan—III Phytoplankton abundance in standing stock of organic matter in lake water

The rapid increase of phytoplankton biomass was the major process for the increase of particulate organic matter in Lake Kasumigaura in 1980. During the first phytoplankton pulse in the bloom relative abundance of each component of organic matter in the lake water was: dissolved organic matter 100, phytoplankton 28, bacteria 27, and detrital particle 27. This relative abundance was maintained as a steady-state oscillation throughout the spring bloom similar to that usually observed in moderately eutrophic waters. Thus phytoplankton abundance in the standing stock of organic matter of the hypereutrophic water during the spring bloom does not show any marked difference from that of moderately eutrophic waters.     

Occurrence of toxic cyanobacterial blooms for the first time in Lake Karaoun,Lebanon

The increasing occurrence of cyanobacterial bloom in freshwaters worldwide is of great importance because of public health risks. In addition, they are very likely to have negative impact on ecological and economic aspects. In this study, the seasonal succession of phytoplankton population in Lake Karaoun in Lebanon was monitored from May 2009 to June 2011. The physicochemical parameters of lake water were then monitored for 1 year, from June 2010 until June 2011, to correlate the physicochemical parameters with the phytoplankton population in the lake. Our results showed, for the first time in Lebanon, that the eutrophied Lake Karaoun has been under the invasion of toxic cyanobacterial blooms since May 2009. The cyanobacterial bloom was persistent from late spring (May) until late fall (December) for 2 consecutive years. The high water temperature in the summer season is the main factor that has been affecting the growth of the cyanobacteria. The most frequently encountered bloom‐forming species were Microcystis aeruginosa and Aphanizomenon ovalisporum, which were either present individually or coexistent. The obtained results showed that during the period of cyanobacterial bloom, a deterioration of water quality defined by low levels of dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, and electric conductivity was reported. During cyanobacterial bloom period, the concentration of the orthophosphate–P (PO4‐P) was very minimal. The measured high value of chlorophyll‐a concentration during cyanobacterial bloom period (48.6 μg/L) was attributed to high photosynthetic activity. Cyanobacterial blooms can cause a variety of water‐quality problems in Lake Karaoun in addition to human health risk.     

华北典型地表水藻类群落演替特征

2006年2月-10月,对引滦原水藻类的群落结构及影响因素进行了调查研究。期间引滦原水中共检出藻类7门43属68种,藻类群落结构呈明显的季节性变化。春季和秋季的引滦原水中以绿藻为优势类群,藻类含量较低;夏季水温升高,水华微囊藻大量增殖并成为绝对优势种,藻类含量因而大幅上升,同时导致了原水藻类多样性指数的大幅降低。相关性分析表明,在目前的水质条件下,水温是影响引滦原水藻类群落结构变化的关键因素。     

Spring bloom in a hypereutrophic lake, Lake Kasumigaura, Japan—IV : Inductive factors for phytoplankton bloom

The limiting factor for inducing the spring bloom of phytoplankters in 1980 at Tsuchiura Harbor of Lake Kasumigaura was shown to be temperature. The bloom started at a water temperature higher than 10°C and lasted until the temperature was up to approx. 20°C. The concentration of inorganic nitrogen in the lake was found to have a profound effect on the induction of the spring bloom as a nonlimiting factor. Other inorganic nutrients contributed mostly to the species succession of phytoplankters comprising the spring bloom.     

Spring bloom in a hypereutrophic lake, lake Kasumigaura, Japan—I Succession of phytoplankters with different accessory pigments

Phytoplankters appearing during the spring bloom of 1980 in Lake Kasumigaura were classified into three groups characterized by different accessory pigments. Phytoplankters of the first group possess phycocyanin, those of the second group possess chlorophyll b, and those of the third group possess chlorophyll c. Only eucaryotic phytoplankters, belonging to the second or third group, were predominantly present during the bloom. Predominance of the second and third groups alternated during the bloom as individual phytoplankton pulses. The relationship between the population density of all phytoplankters and the abundance of phytoplankters possessing chlorophyll c could be expressed as a highly significant regression curve (r = 0.7997) throughout the spring bloom in Tsuchiura Harbor: Y = 102.9 e^−0.03138X + 29.04, where X is the concentration of chlorophyll a in all phytoplankters in lake water, and Y is the percentage of chlorophyll a possessed by phytoplankters possessing also chlorophyll c.     

Is the future blue-green? A review of the current model predictions of how climate change could affect pelagic freshwater cyanobacteria

There is increasing evidence that recent changes in climate have had an effect on lake phytoplankton communities and it has been suggested that it is likely that Cyanobacteria will increase in relative abundance under the predicted future climate. However, testing such a qualitative prediction is challenging and usually requires some form of numerical computer model. Therefore, the lake modelling literature was reviewed for studies that examined the impact of climate change upon Cyanobacteria. These studies, taken collectively, generally show an increase in relative Cyanobacteria abundance with increasing water temperature, decreased flushing rate and increased nutrient loads. Furthermore, they suggest that whilst the direct effects of climate change on the lakes can change the timing of bloom events and Cyanobacteria abundance, the amount of phytoplankton biomass produced over a year is not enhanced directly by these changes. Also, warmer waters in the spring increased nutrient consumption by the phytoplankton community which in some lakes caused nitrogen limitation later in the year to the advantage of some nitrogen-fixing Cyanobacteria. Finally, it is also possible that an increase in Cyanobacteria dominance of the phytoplankton biomass will lead to poorer energy flow to higher trophic levels due to their relatively poor edibility for zooplankton.     

Short-term harmful effects of unionised ammonia on natural populations of Moina micrura and Brachionus rubens in a deep waste treatment pond

Populations of Moina micrura and Brachionus rubens in a deep waste treatment pond were exposed to the natural short-term fluctuations of unionised ammonia (90-min intervals of monitoring) that occur in the course of a day during a summer algal bloom. Under natural conditions, three replicate experiments were conducted in which water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total ammonia, unionised ammonia, phytoplankton biomass and zooplankton (number of living and dead organisms, mortality rate and instant mortality) were studied. The time-course of unionised ammonia concentration was consistent with those shown by temperature, pH, phytoplankton biomass, dissolved oxygen, Moina micrura mortality and Brachionus rubens mortality. On the other hand, temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen never exceeded the tolerance ranges described for Moina and Brachionus, which led us to attribute the cause of zooplankton mortality to unionised ammonia toxicity. Mortality rates of 63%, 27% and 34% were recorded for Moina in each replicate experiment. Brachionus was less affected, with mortalities of 7.3%, 6.2% and 6.0%.These results confirm previous field observations (Water Res. 34(14) (2000) 3666; Water Res. 37(5) (2003) 1048) that attributed a reduction in zooplankton biomass during certain periods of summer (algal blooms) to a harmful side-effect of an excessive increase in phytoplankton biomass: high photosynthetic activity during these periods of proliferation of algae gives rise to an increased pH (>/=8) and, subsequently, leads to production of unionised ammonia (toxic for aquatic organisms) from its ionised fraction.     

Dissolved organic carbon during a spring diatom bloom in Lake Mossø, Denmark

The concentration and molecular weight composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was measured during a spring diatom bloom in eutrophic Lake Mossø, Denmark. The concentration fluctuated between 5.2 and 7.2 mg Cl⁻¹. No relationship between DOC concentrations and phytoplankton biomass or primary production was observed. Diurnal variations of a magnitude similar to variations on a weekly basis were found. A decomposition experiment showed the labile fraction to be of a magnitude similar to the diurnal variation, i.e. 0.7 mg Cl⁻¹. By gel filtration (Sephadex G-50 and G-15) it was shown that 70–90% of the DOC pool was <700 daltons and probably <300 daltons. The labile fraction consisted of low molecular weight compounds.     

Phytoplankton size-distribution and community structure in relation to mucilage occurrence in the northern Adriatic Sea

The spatial and temporal variations of pico-, nano- and microphytoplankton abundance and composition were investigated over a 37 month period, focusing on the ecological role of different size classes of phytoplankton, and on the changes of the community structure that might occur during periods when large mucilage macroaggregates appear. Samples were collected monthly from June 1999 to July 2002 at 11 stations, along three transects covering the northern Adriatic basin. Highest abundances were observed in late-winter/spring for microphytoplankton (mainly diatoms), in spring-summer for nanophytoplankton, and in summer for picophytoplankton. The autotrophic component was more abundant in the summers of 2000 and 2002 (when large mucilage aggregates occurred) than in the summers of 1999 and 2001 (when a massive phenomenon was not observed). This increase was statistically significant for pico-, nano- and, among microphytoplankton, only for dinoflagellates. Blooms of picophytoplankton were often observed at the bottom layer during mucilage summers. The microphytoplankton community during mucilage phenomena was characterized by a species composition (Chaetoceros spp., Cerataulina pelagica, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima, P. pseudodelicatissima, Cylindrotheca closterium, Dactyliosolen fragilissimus) comparable to that observed in summers without extensive mucilage occurrence. However, some species appeared with significantly higher densities in the summers of 2000 and 2002: Ceratium furca, C. closterium, Oxytoxum spp., Hemiaulus hauckii and Gonyaulax fragilis. Microscopic observation of aggregates revealed that the microphytoplankton species composition inside the aggregates was comparable to that observed in the water column, with an enrichment of opportunistic species such as C. closterium and P. delicatissima. The presence of mucilage aggregates affects the phytoplankton populations in the water column, even when aggregates are at early stages. It seems that there is a mutual relationship between phytoplankton and aggregates, i.e., several diatom and dinoflagellate species may contribute to the aggregate formation and enlargement, but mucilage aggregates themselves may also affect the phytoplankton populations, allowing the development of a rich diatom community and in general enhancing nanophytoplankton growth.     

The effects of decreasing heavy metal concentrations on the biota of Buttle Lake, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Since 1966, a copper-lead-zinc mine operated by Westmin Resources Limited has been a source of heavy metal input into Buttle lake. Metal levels increased in the lake, peaking in 1980/1981; thereafter improved treatment and collection systems at the mine site have resulted in steadily decreasing metal levels throughout the lake system. The increase in metal concentrations in the lake water was accompanied by increased metal concentrations in salmonid muscle and liver tissues, by elevated levels of hepatic metallothionein and by declines in both species diversity and population for phytoplankton, periphyton and zooplankton. However, recovery of the biota of Buttle lake with decrease in metal concentrations has not followed a simple reversal of the earlier trends.While metal levels in rainbow trout muscle tissue have improved significantly, copper and cadmium liver tissue levels remain significantly higher than for the control lakes. Hepatic metallothionein levels in rainbow trout have declined steadily from a maximum of 269 ± 23 nmol/g in 1981 to a low of 64 ± 22 nmol/g in 1985, which is similar to the control lake.Interspecies comparison of muscle and liver tissue levels both for Buttle lake and for uncontaminated British Columbia lakes found that rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki) and Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma) respond differently to metals in the environment. It is apparent that trends in rainbow trout data should not be generalized to include all three groups.As metal concentrations decreased, the phytoplankton community began to change so that beginning in 1983 and continuing well into 1985, a continuous phytoplankton bloom consisting of a virtual monoculture of Rhizosolenia eriensis was present throughout the lake. Accompanying the bloom was a scarcity of zooplankton. However, as levels of R. eriensis peaked in 1985, zooplankton and phytoplankton diversity and species number are improving as previously dominant species begin to reappear.     

Cyanobacteria diversity and toxicity in a wastewater treatment plant (Portugal)

Cyanobacteria are common in eutrophic natural waters. Being favoured by warm, stable and nutrient-enriched waters they may constitute an important part of the phytoplankton community in Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP). The phytoplankton communities of two ponds (facultative and maturation) of the WWTP of Esmoriz (North Portugal) were studied, with particular importance given to cyanobacteria. Mouse bioassays were performed with cyanobacteria samples during some of the blooms and ELISA assays specific for hepatotoxic microcystins were carried out. During the study period (January-July 1999) cyanobacteria were frequently dominant in the ponds ranging from 15.2 to 99.8% of the total phytoplankton density. The main species were Planktothrix mougeotii, Microcystis aeruginosa and Pseudanabaena mucicola. Mouse bioassays were performed during Oscillatoria bloom period but the results were negative, in spite of the high cyanobacteria biomass. ELISA assays were performed for both ponds but only in the maturation pond positive values were found. Microcystin concentrations (as MCYST-LR equivalents) varied from 2.3 to 56.0 micrograms/l on the margin of the pond and between 1.7 and 4.6 micrograms/l in the outflow of this pond. These values indicate that WWTP may be a source of contamination of water bodies with cyanobacteria toxins.     

Seasonal periodicity of plankton and benthic fauna community structure and diversity in a small North African reservoir

Aquatic biota in terms of phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthic fauna were qualitatively and quantitatively followed seasonally during 2007 in a North African small reservoir, Aswan Reservoir. Simultaneously, seasonal variations in water quality were investigated in order to determine how far the aquatic biota could be altered by physicochemical and biotic factors. In phytoplankton of the investigated reservoir, 75 species belonging to four systematic groups were recorded, comprising 11 Cyanoprokaryota, 24 Bacillariophyceae, 2 Dinophyceae and 38 Chlorophyceae. Most numerous zooplankton were Rotifera (23 species). Cladocera and Copepoda were less numerous, with only seven and three species, respectively. Early development stages of copepods, nauplii and copepodites were sometimes recorded in considerable numbers. Twenty‐two invertebrate species related to five animal groups were exclusively benthic fauna: three Oligochaeta, nine Mollusca, seven larvae of Chironomidae, one Platyhelminthes, one Hirudinea and one Decapoda. Generally, the estimated values of phytoplankton species richness were relatively higher than those of zooplankton or benthic fauna. In particular, phytoplankton was influenced by physicochemical factors – water transparency, salinity and soluble reactive silica contents – as well as biotic factors – zooplankton and benthic fauna. Levels of pH value, Mg⁺², NO₃‐N and chlorophyll‐a contents appeared to be the most influential parameters dictating the pattern of seasonal periodicity of benthic fauna. Numerically, the phytoplankton was somewhat more abundant in winter and autumn than in spring or summer. The peak of zooplankton population densities was observed in spring season. Benthic fauna tended to be abundant in summer and autumn seasons, showing a reverse seasonal trend from that of zooplankton. Cyanoprokaryota and Bacillariophyceae were the most important groups that determined the seasonal fluctuation pattern of phytoplankton. Rotifera and Copepoda were the most predominant groups influencing the seasonal periodicity of zooplankton. Oligochaeta and Mollusca alternated the dominancy of benthic fauna community in Aswan Reservoir.     

Effects of vertical mixing on phytoplankton blooms in Xiangxi Bay of Three Gorges Reservoir: implications for management

Since the initial filling of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), serious phytoplankton blooms have occurred in its tributary bays. Cyanobacteria blooms have been observed in a number of tributary bays and threaten the drinking water security of residents in the TGR region. To identify the key factors controlling phytoplankton blooms in tributary bays and propose an effective management strategy, a one-year water quality study (November 2009 to October 2010) was conducted in Xiangxi Bay (XXB) of TGR. The results show that a rapid decrease in mixing depth is associated with the spring bloom, fading of the fall bloom occurs with the rapid increase in mixing depth, and an extremely shallow mixing depth is associated with cyanobacteria blooms that predominate during the summer. Development of thermal stratification in XXB is the major cause of seasonal variation in mixing depth and density current intrusion from TGR is the major cause of short-term variation in mixing depth. The seasonal thermal stratification of XXB is disrupted by sufficiently large water level fluctuations in TGR. The density current is lifted from mid-depths to the surface and chlorophyll a concentrations rapidly decrease in response. Based on these findings, a conceptual model is proposed for a management strategy to control phytoplankton blooms in tributary bays via controlled releases from TGR.     

Phytoplankton development and ecological status during a cyanobacterial bloom in a tributary bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Reservoirs can provide suitable conditions for cyanobacterial bloom development, which may impact on water quality and biological communities. Weekly surveys in a cyanobacterial bloom process were carried out in the mainstream and Xiangxi Bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (China), from June 6 to July 18 in 2008. By application of the phytoplankton functional group approach, the spatiotemporal pattern, impact factors, and the ecological status based on Q index (assemblage index) were analyzed. The depth of euphotic layer was apparently the key factor driving the phytoplankton functional group variations. Longitudinal patterns of phytoplankton distribution were detected during this bloom: in the beginning phase, groups D (mainly Stephanodiscus hantzschii) and B (Cyclotella stelligera) dominated in the mainstream of the Three Gorges Reservoir and the mouth area of Xiangxi Bay, group Y (Cryptomonas species) dominated in the upper area, while groups J (mainly Pediastrum duplex), F (mainly Sphaerocystis schroeteri) and G (Pandorina morum and Eudorina elegans) were important in other areas; in the mid phase, group M became absolutely dominant in the whole region; and in the ending phase, besides groups M and Y, groups X2 (Chroomonas acuta, Pyramimonas nanella, etc.) and Lo (Ceratium hirundinella) became more important in the lower and upper area respectively. Generally the ecological status was bad, temporally varied with the bloom process. No spatial difference of ecological status was found in the mainstream, while longitudinal patterns in Xiangxi Bay were detected for different phases: firstly a few sites had relatively better status than the others, then nearly all the sites were in the bad condition, and at last the status in the downstream was better than that in the upstream. The longitudinal patterns of ecological status were related to phytoplankton distribution, disturbed by jacking from the downstream and flood from the upstream of Xiangxi Bay.     

Temporal and spatial variations in kinetics of alkaline phosphatase in sediments of a shallow Chinese eutrophic lake (Lake Donghu)

Monthly sediment and interstitial water samples were collected in a shallow Chinese freshwater lake (Lake Donghu) from three areas to determine if alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) plays an important role, in phosphorus cycling in sediment. The seasonal variability in the kinetics of APA and other relevant parameters were investigated from 1995-1996. The phosphatase hydrolyzable phosphorus (PHP) fluctuated seasonally in interstitial water, peaking in the spring. A synchronous pattern was observed in chlorophyll a contents in surface water in general. The orthophosphate (o-P) concentrations in the interstitial water increased during the spring. An expected negative relationship between PHP and Vmax of APA is not evident in interstitial water. The most striking feature of the two variables is their co-occurring, which can be explained in terms of an induction mechanism. It is argued that phosphatase activity mainly contributes to the driving force of o-P regeneration from PHP in interstitial water, supporting the development of phytoplankton biomass in spring. The Vmax values in sediment increased during the summer, in conjunction with lower Km values in interstitial water that suggest a higher affinity for the substrate. The accumulation of organic matter in the sediment could be traced back to the breakdown of the algal spring bloom, which may stimulate APA with higher kinetic efficiency, by a combination of the higher Vmax in sediments plus lower Km values in interstitial water, in summer. In summary, a focus on phosphatase and its substrate in annual scale may provide a useful framework for the development of novel P cycling, possible explanations for the absence of a clear relationship between PHP and APA were PHP released from the sediment which induced APA, and the presence of kinetically higher APA both in sediment and interstitial water which permitted summer mineralization of organic matter derived from the spring bloom to occur. The study highlighted the need for distinguishing functionally distinct extracellular enzymes between the sediment and interstitial water of lakes.     

Estimation of phytoplankton decomposition rates using two-stage continuous flow studies

A two-stage continuous flow (TSCF) system was used to quantify phytoplankton decomposition rates and to characterize the decay process as a function of phytoplankton species, phytoplankton physiological state, and the presence and character of a decomposer community. A TSCF system allowed a steady-state phytoplankton culture, grown in the first stage, to be the feed to a darkened second stage decomposition culture. A mass balance on the phytoplankton biomass in the second stage quantitatively assessed the magnitude of the decomposition rate. The results of 12 experimental runs revealed that the relative order of decay rates among three phytoplankton species tested was Microcystis (blue-green) >Asterionella (diatom) >Scenedesmus (green). The results also suggest a strong dependence of decay rates on the presence and origin of the decomposer community in the second stage. A decomposer community originating from a hypereutrophic lake accounted for higher decay rates than did an inoculum from mesotrophic waters of Lake Ontario. Phytoplankton cultures not receiving a poser inoculum exhibited low decay rates indicative of endogenous respiration. Finally, two concurrently run TSCF experiments, where the only difference was the dilution rate in the lit first stage, illustrated that sub-optimal growth rates of phytoplankton result in a stress condition that renders the population more susceptable to death and decomposition.     

Stimulation of phytoplankton growth by mixtures of phosphate, nitrate, and organic chelators

An in situ nutrient enrichment experiment in which mixed treatments of nitrate, phosphate, and EDTA were applied to natural lake phytoplankton communities is discussed. Changes in community productivity and species composition in response to the treatments revealed strong interactions among the components of the treatment mixture. On the community level, phosphate exerted a stimulatory effect that was reduced by EDTA, enhanced by nitrate, and enhanced even more by nitrate and EDTA together. Examination of 15 individual species revealed that the treatment effects were highly variable from species to species. Seven of the 15 species were stimulated by the nutrient treatments, and the growth patterns of 5 of these accounted for essentially all of the features of the productivity response patterns. The eight other species either failed to respond to any treatment or declined in response to containment or treatments. Phosphate was the key substance in all of the positive treatment effects, and its omission from the treatment mixture essentially eliminated all growth responses.