Limited Impacts of Water Diversion on Micro-eukaryotic Community along the Eastern Route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

The Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (ER-SNWDP) represents a crucial initiative aimed at alleviating water scarcity in China's northern region. Understanding the dynamics governing the composition and assembly processes of micro-eukaryotic communities within the canal during different water diversion periods holds paramount significance for the effective management of the ER-SNWDP. Our study systematically tracks the dynamics of the micro-eukaryotic community and its assembly processes along the 1045.4 km of canals and four impounded lakes, totaling 3455 km2, constituting the ER-SNWDP during a complete water diversion cycle, utilizing high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics tools, and null modeling algorithms. The primary objectives of this study are to elucidate the spatial-temporal succession of micro-eukaryotic communities as the water diversion progresses, to delineate the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes in community assembly, and to identify the pivotal factors driving changes in micro-eukaryotic communities. Our findings indicate notable variations in the composition and diversity of micro-eukaryotic communities within the ER-SNWDP across different water diversion periods and geographic locations (P < 0.05). This variation is influenced by a confluence of temporal and environmental factors, with limited impacts from water diversion. In essence, the assembly of micro-eukaryotic communities within the ER-SNWDP primarily stemmed from heterogeneous selection driven by deterministic processes. Water diversion exhibited a tendency to decrease community beta diversity while augmenting the influence of stochastic processes in community assembly, albeit this effect attenuated over time. Furthermore, our analysis identified several pivotal environmental parameters, notably including nitrite-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, orthophosphate, and water temperature, as exerting significant effects on micro-eukaryotic communities across different water diversion periods. Collectively, our study furnishes the inaugural comprehensive exploration of the dynamics, assembly processes, and influencing factors governing micro-eukaryotic communities within the ER-SNWDP, thus furnishing indispensable insights to inform the water quality management of this important project.

Impacts of habitat alteration on macroinvertebrates in large shallow lakes: An application of a macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index.

Habitat plays a crucial role in shaping the macroinvertebrate community structure in large shallow lakes. In the pursuit of improving the health of freshwater ecosystems, it is imperative to consider their habitat characteristics. To evaluate the impact of habitat variations on lake ecological health, we developed a macroinvertebrate-based multimetric index (MMI) for both the pelagic and littoral zones of Lake Hongze. Additionally, we employed structural equation models to explore the influence of utilization or phytoplankton biomass on ecological health. Historical data served as reference conditions for the pelagic. Seven key attributes were selected for the pelagic MMI, that is, Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), the percentage of Mollusca taxa, the percentage of filter-collector taxa, the percentage of predator taxa, the percentage of gather-collector taxa, and the percentage of sensitive taxa and functional dispersion. The least minimally disturbed conditions and the best attainable conditions were used to develop the littoral. Four key metrics, that is, the percentage of scraper abundance, Mollusca taxa, Biological Pollution Index, and BMWP, were integrated into the littoral MMI. The assessment based on MMI revealed a "poor" health status for the pelagic zone and a "fair" health status for the littoral zone. These findings underscore the high applicability and efficacy of MMIs in assessing and monitoring ecological health in Lake Hongze. Notably, functional feeding groups exhibited heightened sensitivity to disturbance in both zones. Moreover, sediment organic matter strongly influenced the pelagic ecological health, while chlorophyll a and transparency emerged as primary factors influencing the littoral zone, attributable to varying littoral zone utilization. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:2245-2255. © 2024 SETAC.

Restore polder and aquaculture enclosure to the lake: Balancing environmental protection and economic growth for sustainable development.

The restoration of lakes and their buffer zones is crucial for understanding the intricate interplay between human activities and natural ecosystems resulting from the implementation of environmental policies. In this study, we investigated the ecological restoration of shallow lakes and buffer zones in the Yangtze-Huaihe River Basin, specifically focusing on the removal of polder and aquaculture enclosure areas within the lakes. By examining data from eight shallow lakes and their corresponding buffer zones, encompassing lake morphology, water quality parameters, and land use/land cover (LULC) data spanning from 2008 to 2022, which shed light on the complex relationships involved. During the process of restoring polder and aquaculture enclosure areas, we observed a general decrease in the extent of polders and aquaculture enclosures within the lakes. Notably, the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a more pronounced effect (reduction rate of 83.37 %) compared to the withdrawal of polders (reduction rate of 48.76 %). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant decrease in the concentrations of seven water quality parameters, including COD, CODMn, TN, TP, NH3-N, Chl-a, and F, while pH and DO factors exhibit a distinct increasing trend. The results of redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant correlations between the area of polders and aquaculture enclosures and the changes in lake water quality. Encouragingly, the withdrawal of polders and the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a positive impact on the lake water quality improvement. In contrast, the LULC in the buffer zones of the lakes experienced a gradual decline owing to land degradation, resulting in a reduction in ecosystem service value (ESV). These results offer valuable support for policymakers in their endeavors to restore lake water quality, mitigate the degradation of buffer zones land, and promote the sustainable development of land and water resources.

Effects of different hydrological conditions on the taxonomic structure and functional traits of mollusk communities in a large floodplain wetland.

Floodplain wetlands are critical to the conservation of aquatic biodiversity and the ecological integrity of river networks. However, increasing drought severity and frequency caused by climate change can reduce floodplain wetlands' resistance and recovery capacities. Mollusks, which are common inhabitants of floodplain wetlands, are among the most vulnerable species to drought. However, the response of mollusk communities to drought has received little attention. Here, we investigated how the structure and functional traits of mollusk communities changed in response to varying hydrological conditions, including a flash drought (FD) in the Poyang Lake floodplain wetland. Our findings showed that FD strongly reduced mollusk abundance and biomass, decreased both α- and ß-diversity, and resulted in the extinction of bivalve taxa. A sudden shift in community trait structure was discovered due to the extinction of many species. These traits, which include deposit feeding, crawling, scraping, aerial respiration, and dormancy, help mollusks survive in FD and tolerate completely dry out of their Changhuchi habitat. Finally, we discovered that dissolved oxygen was an important controlling variable for mollusk communities during drought. Our findings provide a scientific basis for the management and conservation of floodplain wetland biodiversity in the context of increasing drought frequency and intensity.

Spatial and temporal variation in lake macroinvertebrate communities is decreased by eutrophication.

Eutrophication impacts freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity across the world. While temporal monitoring has shown changes in the nutrient inputs in many areas, how spatial and temporal beta diversity change along the eutrophication gradient under a changing context remains unclear. In this regard, analyses based on time series spanning multiple years are particularly scarce. We sampled benthic macroinvertebrates in 32 sites across three lake habitat types (MACROPHYTE, OPEN WATER, PHYTOPLANKTON) along the eutrophication gradient of Lake Taihu in four seasons from 2007 to 2019. Our purpose was to identify the relative contributions of spatial and temporal dissimilarity (i.e., inter-annual dissimilarity and seasonal dissimilarity) to overall benthic biodiversity. We also examined spatio-temporal patterns in community assembly mechanisms and how associated variation in benthic macroinvertebrate communities responded to nutrient indicators. Results showed that eutrophication caused macroinvertebrate community homogenization both along spatial and temporal gradients. Though spatial variability dominated the variation of species richness, abundance and community dissimilarity, seasons within years dissimilarity, inter-annual dissimilarity and seasonal dissimilarity were much more sensitive to eutrophication. Moreover, eutrophication inhibited a strong environmental control in benthic macroinvertebrate community assembly, including a dominant role of deterministic process in the spatial variation of macroinvertebrate communities and transition from stochastic to deterministic process in the temporal assembly of macroinvertebrate communities along the eutrophication gradient. In addition, some sites in PHYTOPLANKTON habitats showed similar spatial dissimilarity and spatial SES as sites in MACROPHYTE habitats, and the decreased spatial dissimilarity of three habitats implying that lake ecosystem recovery projects have achieved their goal at least to a certain degree.

The Multifaceted Effects of Short-Term Acute Hypoxia Stress: Insights into the Tolerance Mechanism of Propsilocerus akamusi (Diptera: Chironomidae).

Plenty of freshwater species, especially macroinvertebrates that are essential to the provision of numerous ecosystem functions, encounter higher mortality due to acute hypoxia. However, within the family Chironomidae, a wide range of tolerance to hypoxia/anoxia is displayed. Propsilocerus akamusi depends on this great tolerance to become a dominant species in eutrophic lakes. To further understand how P. akamusi responds to acute hypoxic stress, we used multi-omics analysis in combination with histomorphological characteristics and physiological indicators. Thus, we set up two groups-a control group (DO 8.4 mg/L) and a hypoxic group (DO 0.39 mg/L)-to evaluate enzyme activity and the transcriptome, metabolome, and histomorphological characteristics. With blue-black chromatin, cell tightness, cell membrane invagination, and the production of apoptotic vesicles, tissue cells displayed typical apoptotic features in the hypoxic group. Although lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), catalase (CAT), and Na+/K+ -ATPase (NKA) activities were dramatically enhanced under hypoxic stress, glycogen content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly reduced compared to the control group. The combined analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome, which further demonstrated, in addition to carbohydrates, including glycogen, the involvement of energy metabolism pathways, including fatty acid, protein, trehalose, and glyoxylate cycles, provided additional support for the aforementioned findings. Lactate is the end product of glycogen degradation, and HIF-1 plays an important role in promoting glycogenolysis in acute hypoxic conditions. However, we discovered that the ethanol tested under hypoxic stress likely originates from the symbiodinium of P. akamusi. These results imply that some parameters related to energy metabolism, antioxidant enzyme activities, and histomorphological features may be used as biomarkers of eutrophic lakes in Chironomus riparius larvae. The study also provides a scientific reference for assessing toxicity and favoring policies to reduce their impact on the environment.

Macroinvertebrate Response to Internal Nutrient Loading Increases in Shallow Eutrophic Lakes.

In eutrophic lakes, even if external loading is controlled, internal nutrient loading delays the recovery of lake eutrophication. When the input of external pollutants is reduced, the dissolved oxygen environment at the sediment interface improves in a season without algal blooms. As an important part of lake ecosystems, macroinvertebrates are sensitive to hypoxia caused by eutrophication; however, how this change affects macroinvertebrates is still unknown. In this study, we analysed the monitoring data of northern Lake Taihu from 2007 to 2019. After 2007, the external loading of Lake Taihu was relatively stable, but eutrophication began to intensify after 2013, and the nutrients in the sediments also began to decline, which was related to the efficient use of nutrients by algal blooms. The community structure and population density of macroinvertebrates showed different responses in different stages. In particular, the density of oligochaetes and the Shannon-Wiener index showed significant differences in their response to different stages, and their sensitivity to eutrophication was significantly reduced. Under eutrophication conditions dominated by internal loading, frequent hypoxia occurs at the sediment interface only when an algal bloom erupts. When there is no bloom, the probability of sediment hypoxia is significantly reduced under the disturbance of wind. Our results indicate that the current method for evaluating lake eutrophication based on oligochaetes and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index may lose its sensitivity.

Key factors driving dissolved organic matter composition and bioavailability in lakes situated along the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, China.

The Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP-ER) is a large scale multi-decade infrastructure project aiming to divert substantial amounts of water (≈45 billion m3 yr-1) to alleviate water shortage in comparatively arid regions of northern China. The project has ramifications for hydrological connectivity and biogeochemical cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in regional lakes affected by the project. We carried out an extensive field sampling campaign along the SNWDP-ER in different hydrological seasons of 2018 and monthly observations in Lake Hongze and Lake Luoma from April 2018 to June 2021. We found the lakes connecting to the SNWDP-ER had higher mean DOC, specific UV absorbance, higher ratio of humic-like to protein-like fluorophores (Humic : Protein), and shallower spectral slope (S275-295) in the wet season compared to the wet-to-dry transition, and dry seasons. The southern lakes and Yangtze River had lower DOC concentration, bioavailable DOC (BDOC), and higher DOM aromaticity compared to the northern two downstream lakes. Ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) revealed higher relative abundance of CHO-containing and aromatic compounds in the Yangtze River and the southern three upstream lakes compared to the northern two lakes. The data from Lake Hongze and Lake Luoma, studied in different hydrological seasons, suggest that water delivery had high consistency in DOM composition and BDOC over the season. We conclude that positioning along the watercourse and seasonally variable hydrological conditions play an important role in influencing the DOM composition and bioavailability of key lakes connecting to the SNWDP-ER. Our results indicated that the water diversion project delivers water with low DOC concentration and higher aromaticity and thus is of higher quality since it has higher DOM removal potential during drinking water treatment.

Macroinvertebrate diversity and ecosystem functioning across the eutrophication gradients of the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River lakes (China).

Biodiversity, which strengthens ecosystem stability, ecosystem function, and ecosystem services, is threatened by anthropogenic perturbation and climate change worldwide. However, despite the study of the role of biodiversity in multiple facets of freshwater ecosystems, the linkages between macroinvertebrates diversity and ecosystem functioning have not yet been well-assessed in eutrophication gradients of lowland river-floodplain systems. In this study, we have examined the relationship between macroinvertebrates diversity (species diversity, functional diversity, phylogenetic diversity) and macroinvertebrates biomass across the three typically featured eutrophication gradients: "MACROPHYTE," "TRANSITION," and "PHYTOPLANKTON," of floodplain lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (China). Our results suggest that macroinvertebrates diversity in three different lacustrine conditions, biomass, and the relationship between diversity and biomass varied along eutrophication gradients. Functional richness and variance (divergence in taxon community) were the two important macroinvertebrate diversity indices, which accounted for the largest amount of variation in the biomass (63% in PHYTOPLANKTON lakes and 57% in MACROPHYTE lakes, respectively). We also found that the macrophyte coverage is more important than the relative abundance in maintaining the macroinvertebrates diversity and biomass in lowland Yangtze floodplain lake systems, while the relative abundance of macrophyte would change the BEF relationship. Our results demonstrate the functional performance of Yangtze River lakes, which would change with increased nutrient loading and decreased macrophyte coverage and would highlight the significance of the restoration of macrophytes to reduce nutrient loads.

[Long-term Succession Patterns and Driving Factors of Water Quality in a Flood-pulse System Lake: A Case Study of Lake Luoma, Jiangsu Province].

Lake Luoma is an important storage lake for the Eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (NSBD), which has many functions including flood control and irrigation, drinking water supply, and ecological maintenance. In order to understand the succession patterns and driving factors of water quality in Lake Luoma, we used monthly monitoring data from 2009 to 2020 in combination with historical data from 1996 to 2008. The long-term succession patterns, seasonal dynamics, and spatial patterns of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), permanganate index, and ammonia nitrogen (NH+4-N) were examined, and the influence of meteorological and hydrological factors on water quality was explored through correlation analyses and generalized additive models. The results showed that it remained in the status of grade Ⅳ-inferior Ⅴ over the past 25 years. The concentration of TN, which was the main pollutant, changed significantly (1.06-3.49 mg·L-1), experiencing three stages of gradual decline (1996-2002), significant interannual fluctuation (2002-2015), and significant increase (2015-2020). Permanganate index decreased significantly (2.97-6.38 mg·L-1), whereas TP and NH+4-N concentration fluctuated slightly, ranging from 0.024-0.076 mg·L-1 and 0.11-0.69 mg·L-1, respectively. The concentration of TN and TP increased abnormally in the summer of 2017-2020, reaching 3.30 mg·L-1 and 0.14 mg·L-1 in August, respectively, which was approximately 1.5 and 2.4 times the annual average. In terms of seasonal dynamics, the seasonal variation in water quality between summer/autumn and winter/spring reversed after 2015, with water quality in summer/autumn being worse than that in winter and spring, indicating the exacerbation of eutrophication. The water quality in the southern area was obviously better than that in the northern area. The input of pollutants from the Yihe River and Middle Canal increased with water quantity since 2015, which drove the water quality deterioration through nutrients. Our results suggested that the water quality of Lake Luoma should be improved by strengthening exogenous pollution reduction, endogenous control, polder dismantling, and ecological restoration.

The effect of Xuezhikang capsule on gene expression profile in brown adipose tissue of obese spontaneously hypertensive rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Obesity is a critical threat to global health, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a potential target for the treatment of obesity and comorbidities. Xuezhikang Capsule (XZK), an extract of red yeast rice, has remarkable clinical efficacy and is widely used for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and coronary heart disease. However, its modulatory effect on BAT remains unknown. AIM OF THIS STUDY: The aim of this study was to investigate the protective mechanism of XZK in the obese spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model by evaluating the regulatory effect of XZK on the BAT gene profile through transcriptome sequencing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SHRs were randomly divided into four groups: the standard chow diet (STD) group, the STD supplemented with 126 mg/kg of XZK group, the high-fat diet (HFD) group, and the HFD supplemented with 126 mg/kg of XZK group. All SHRs were fed for 18 weeks. The metabolic phenotypes, including body weight, fat mass, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and serum glucose and lipid levels, was evaluated, and hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) staining was performed to evaluate the adipose tissue histopathological phenotype. Transcriptome sequencing was performed to determine the mechanism by which XZK improves the metabolic phenotype and the expression of key differential expression genes was verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: XZK inhibited HFD-induced weight gain and adipose tissue remodeling in SHRs and prevented hypertrophy of epididymal adipocytes and maintained the brown fat phenotype. XZK intervention also improved glucose and lipid metabolism in SHRs, as suggested by a reduction in serum triglyceride (TG), low-density cholesterol (LDL-C), and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels as well as increasing in serum high-density cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Transcriptome sequencing analysis confirmed the regulatory effect of XZK on the gene expression profile of BAT, and the expression patterns of 45 genes were reversed by the XZK intervention. Additionally, the results of the transcriptome analysis of 10 genes that are important for brown fat function were in line with the results of qRT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: XZK protected SHRs from HFD-induced obesity, inhibited fat accumulation and improved glucolipid metabolism. Additionally, the protective effect of XZK on the overall metabolism of obese SHRs might partly be related to its regulatory effect on the BAT gene expression profile. These findings might provide novel therapeutic strategies for obesity-related metabolic diseases in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Determining heavy metal pollution in sediments from the largest impounded lake in the eastern route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project: Ecological risks, sources, and implications for lake management.

The eastern route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (ER-SNWDP) is a major human health project designed to alleviate the water scarcity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China. Impounded lake water security is directly related to the water diversion project effectiveness. At present, there is not a thorough understanding of the sediment heavy metals in Lake Hongze, the largest impounded lake of the ER-SNWDP. Consequently, this study reports a distribution analysis of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Hg, and Ni in 101 sediment samples from Lake Hongze; we, utilized the enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, and potential ecological risk index for the are to determine the ecological risk of heavy metals. The heavy metal source was examined with correlation analysis and principal component analysis-multiple linear regressions. The results showed that the average heavy metal content (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, Cd, As, Hg, Ni) were 0.03-1.57 times greater than the Jiangsu Province background values. Cd, As, and Hg were the main contributors to the Lake Hongze ecological risk. Spatially, the open water area was the most polluted among the four lake parts, and most of the flushing area had a low ecological risk. Chengzi bay and the western lake area have similar risk profiles, but are lower than the open water area risk. Source analysis showed that nonpoint-source agricultural pollution and industrial production were important pollution sources, while a considerable portion of the heavy metal content came from atmospheric deposition and natural sources. This study identified the main contamination areas and revealed the possible sources of each heavy metal; as such, this study can serve as a reference for the remediation and management of Lake Hongze to ensure the water safety of the ER-SNWDP.

[Vertical Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Phytoplankton Community Structure in Qiandao Lake].

Clear vertical variations in phytoplankton community structure are usually observed in deep-water lakes and reservoirs, which is one of the key components of water quality and ecosystem functioning. However, the vertical patterns and ecological drivers of phytoplankton communities in deep-water lakes and reservoirs are still understudied. In this study, we took Qiandao Lake, a deep-water reservoir, as an example to reveal the vertical distribution characteristics of phytoplankton communities and its influencing factors by investigating phytoplankton community structure and the associated water quality index at 12 sites across the whole lake in two seasons (spring and autumn). The results showed that the phytoplankton abundance and chlorophyll a were highest in the surface layer in autumn and then decreased toward deep water, whereas in spring, the maximum value occurred in the subsurface layer (2-5 m), and the dominant phytoplankton species showed obvious vertical stratification characteristics. Specifically, in spring, Cryptomonas and Pseudanabaena dominated the surface and subsurface layers, Cryptomonas dominated in the middle layer, and the abundance of Cyclotella at the bottom layer was significantly higher than that of the other algae genera. The dominant genera in autumn were Pseudanabaena and Aphanizomenon. In the subsurface and middle layers, Leptolyngbya and Pseudanabaena occupied the dominant position, and Leptolyngbya became the only dominant genus. In the bottom layer, Leptolyngbya was the only dominant genus. The key environmental indicators of the water also had obvious vertical changes. The contents of N and P nutrients had a negative correlation with the water depth in spring, whereas the reverse trend was observed in autumn. The correlation analysis showed that the vertical variation in phytoplankton abundance in spring was significantly positively correlated with phosphate concentration, whereas the vertical distribution of phytoplankton abundance in autumn was significantly positively correlated with intensity of light, and the water temperature, NH4+-N, and total nitrogen were the main factors driving the vertical changes in the dominant genera of phytoplankton community in the two seasons. To summarize, environmental conditions such as water temperature, light, and nutrients had strong effects on the vertical distribution of phytoplankton. In the ecological investigation and quality assessment of deep-water lakes and reservoirs, the vertical distribution characteristics of the phytoplankton community structure and the influence of environmental conditions should be fully considered.

[Community Structure of Phytoplankton and Environmental Impact Factors in Lake Hongze from 2015 to 2020].

Lake Hongze is an essential storage lake for the "Eastern Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project" and plays an important role in climate adjustment and flood prevention and control. To study the structural evolution of phytoplankton communities in Lake Hongze and their relationship with environmental factors and to understand the status of the ecosystem of Lake Hongze before the "ten-year fishing ban," monthly monitoring was carried out from 2015 to 2020. During the study period, total nitrogen showed a significant downward trend starting in 2017, the total phosphorus and chemical oxygen demand declined slightly, the water temperature had no obvious change trend, and the water depth and transparency increased from 2015 to 2018 and then declined significantly. A total of 102 genera of phytoplankton in eight phyla were identified, with a total of 310 species. The dominant phytoplankton phyla mainly included Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta, followed by Cyanophyta and Pyrrophyta. The dominant genera were Scenedesmus, Aulacoseira, Cryptomonas, Cyclotella, Tetraedron, Microcystis, and Dolichospermum. The results of non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) showed that the structural composition of the phytoplankton community differed significantly among years, seasons, and sampling areas, mainly due to the redistribution among dominant genera. NMDS analysis also indicated that variation in the phytoplankton community in Lake Hongze was mainly related to water temperature, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, water depth, and transparency. Total nitrogen, water depth, and phytoplankton community structure were significantly correlated with interannual succession, whereas water temperature, total nitrogen, and phytoplankton seasonal succession were also significantly correlated. Combined with the measures taken by the management department in recent years, the changes in the structure of the phytoplankton community may be related to the removal of the fence and other management and restoration measures in Lake Hongze.

Geomorphic processes of a dammed palaeo-lake in the middle Yarlung Tsangpo River, Tibet.

The failure of a natural dam is an extreme geological event. Palaeo-lake sediments were discovered in the broad Xigazê valley and Dazhuka-Yueju gorge in the middle reach of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. However, the sedimentary processes, dam failure, and peak flood of the Xigazê dammed palaeo-lake are poorly understood. Hence, we conducted a field survey of eight lacustrine sedimentary terraces in the area. We divided the sedimentary processes of the palaeo-lake into five stages and deposit types: pre-palaeo-lake sediments (fluvial or aeolian deposits); early stage sediments of the palaeo-lake (coarse sand); main stage palaeo-lake sediments (clayey silt and sand), sediments following the discharge of the palaeo-lake (sand and gravel-cobbles); and cover deposits (aeolian sediments and colluvium). Additionally, the water level along the palaeo-lake was almost constant (3811 m a.s.l.). The dam was likely located at the eastern end of the Dazhuka-Yueju gorge. Based on the water level, dam location and 30-m ASTER GDEM2 data, the capacity of the palaeo-lake was estimated as 22.55 km3. To separate the water volume and sediment volume, the sediment surface elevation along the palaeo-lake was simulated based on the elevations of the six lacustrine sedimentary terraces. The volume of the sediment was ~11.56 km3, which was calculated from the dam location, sediment surface elevation, and the ASTER GDEM2 data. Finally, subtraction of the sediment volume from the capacity of the palaeo-lake gave a backwater volume of 10.99 km3. The peak flood possibly exceeded 3.4 × 105 m3/s as a moraine dam joined the discharge during the dam failure. However, the dammed event probably had a limited effect on the landforms at downstream because of the presence of another dammed palaeo-lake in the broad Zetang valley; moreover, the bedrock upstream of the dam was protected from erosion.

[Spatio-temporal Distribution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Zooplankton in Hongze Lake].

Hongze Lake is the fourth largest freshwater lake in China and is an important source of water for surrounding industrial and agricultural processes and fishery resources. Analyzing the changes in the zooplankton community structure in Hongze Lake can provide scientific support for the scientific management of its ecology and environment. A one-year monthly monitoring study was conducted from March 2017 to February 2018 to analyze the temporal and spatial changes in species composition, density, and biomass of zooplankton in Hongze Lake, as well as the seasonal changes in community diversity and dominant species. Canonical correspondence analysis was employed to explore the relationships between the temporal and spatial changes in zooplankton and the environmental factors of Hongze Lake. The results showed that the average annual density of zooplankton in Hongze Lake was 383.87 ind ·L-1, and the average annual biomass was 1.36 mg ·L-1. The community structure of zooplankton in Hongze Lake varied greatly across time and space. Community structure varied greatly in summer, and zooplankton density and biomass reached a maximum in autumn. The community structure of the zooplankton was the simplest in winter. Chengzi Bay and Lihewa Bay exhibited an abundance of many different zooplankton species with limited spatial differentiation, whereas the zooplankton in the overflow area comprised fewer species but exhibited greater spatial variation. In summer, water level and temperature are the dominant factors, whereas in autumn and winter, the dominant factors are water temperature, nutrients, and chlorophyll. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that the temporal and spatial changes in zooplankton community structure in Hongze Lake were mainly determined by water level, total phosphorus, water temperature, and total nitrogen content. Water level fluctuation has the greatest direct impact on zooplankton community structure, and water quality regulation has indirect impact.

[Succession Pattern of Phytoplankton and Its Drivers in Lake Luoma, Jiangsu Province].

As a water storage lake for the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, it is crucial to examine changes in aquatic ecosystem structures in Lake Luoma, Jiangsu province. Field sampling was carried out in Lake Luoma monthly from 2014 to 2018 to study the relationship between the phytoplankton community structure and environmental factors. During the studied period, total nitrogen, permanganate index, and electrical conductivity in water column gradually increased, whereas fluoride content declined. The pattern of total phosphorus and dissolved oxygen was not distinct. A total of 71 genera of phytoplankton were identified from 2014 to 2018, and the average monthly biomass variation ranged from 0.16 to 5.51 mg·L-1. Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta were the dominant phyla in the four years, followed by Pyrrophyta and Cryptophyta. The dominant genera were Synedra sp., Chroomonas spp., Aulacoseira spp., Dinobryon sp., Scenedesmus spp. , Fragilaria spp., Mougeotia sp. , Ankistrodesmus sp. , and Euglena spp. The results showed that the phytoplankton community structure significantly changed in the four years, which was mainly ascribed to the redistribution of biomass. Specifically, in addition to the dominance of Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta, the dominance of Pyrrophyta and Cyanophyta increased during the last two years. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis showed that variation of the phytoplankton community in Lake Luoma was mainly related to total nitrogen, fluoride, water temperature, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and permanganate index, among which the total nitrogen, water temperature, and fluoride concentration dominated the phytoplankton community change after the generalized additive model test. Water temperature is the driving factor affecting seasonal changes of the phytoplankton community. Total nitrogen and fluoride concentrations are the driving factors affecting the interannual variation in the phytoplankton community. Our study indicated that in recent years, the implementation of the ban on sand mining and demolition of the enclosed aquaculture in Lake Luoma has affected the water environment, resulting in a significant succession of the phytoplankton community.

Density functional theory study on adsorption of L-cysteine by Y, Zr, Nb, Mo-doped graphenes.

The adsorption properties of l-cysteine (L-cys) on [Kr] 4d1-4 (Y-Mo) doped graphenes with single and double vacancies are studied using density functional theory calculations with dispersion correction. The results showed that Y, Zr, Nb and Mo doped single-vacancy and double-vacancy graphenes show chemical adsorption characteristics towards L-cys. For the respective S, O and N-end adsorption, the binding strengths of L-cys on XSVs decrease from Y to Nb, and then increase. The binding strengths of L-cys on XDVs have no regular trend. Nb-doped graphene exhibits the most stable adsorption characteristics in the [Kr] 4d1-4 element series, which is independent of the vacancy type. Zr-doped single and double vacancy graphene sensors have higher sensitivity than Y, Nb, Mo.

Quantifying the dependence of cyanobacterial growth to nutrient for the eutrophication management of temperate-subtropical shallow lakes.

The increasing global occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms, attributed primarily to human-induced nutrient enrichment, significantly degrades freshwater ecosystems and poses serious risks to human health. The current study examined environmental variables and cyanobacterial biovolume (BCyano) of 28 shallow lakes in the eastern China plains during the spring and summer of 2018. We used a 95% quantile regression model to explore season-specific response of BCyano to total nitrogen (TN), or total phosphorus (TP), and robust linear relationships were observed between log(BCyano+0.001) and log(TN), or log(TP) in both spring and summer periods. Based on these regressions, regional-scale and season-specific TN and TP thresholds are proposed for these lakes to ensure the safety for recreational waters and drinking water source. However, actual BCyano for a given concentration of TN (or TP) for many observations were considerably lower than the results of the 95% regression model predict, indicating that other factors significantly modulated nutrient limitation of BCyano. Generalized additive model and quantile regression model were used together to explore potentially significant modulating factors, of which lake retention time, macrophytes cover and N: P ratio were identified as most important. Thus, it is necessary to develop type-specific nutrient thresholds with the consideration of these significant modulating factors. Furthermore, nutrient-BCyano relationships of our studied lakes with lake retention time>100 days and no macrophyte were further explored and nutrient thresholds of this lake type were proposed. Nutrient thresholds proposed in this study may play an essential role in achieving a cost-effective eutrophication management for shallow lakes both in the eastern China plains and elsewhere with similar climatic background. On a broader scale, the approaches and findings of this study may provide valuable reference to formulate reasonable nutrient reduction targets for other ecoregions with different climatic conditions.