Ecotoxicological monitoring in lakes of Northwestern and Central European Russia situated in specially protected natural areas

An ecotoxicological assessment is given to the state of small lakes in specially protected natural areas in Northwestern and Central European Russia, which suffer from aerotechnogenic acidification. The toxicity of water and bottom sediments is shown to increase with decreasing water pH. The most sensitive characteristics of aquatic organisms in different trophic groups are chosen, allowing the state of lakes to be monitored.     

Pit lakes of the Central German lignite mining district: Creation, morphometry and water quality aspects

About 140 pit lakes exist in Central Germany. These have resulted from lignite mining and are important parts of the post-mining landscape in the Central German lignite mining district. Their water quality is mainly influenced by the consequences of pyrite oxidation, i.e., acidification or results of natural or artificial neutralization. The major way of filling as well as a cheap and successful measure against acidification was the diversion of river water into the lakes or their filling with neutral water from mines still operating. Eutrophication, contamination by industrial pollutants and infection with pathogens imported with river water were found to be unimportant threats for the pit lakes in the Central German lignite mining district. Intrusion of naturally saline groundwater from deeper underground resulted in some cases in elevated concentrations of sodium chloride and in meromixis. The diverse uses of the lakes (e.g. recreation, nature conservation, water management) indicate that the pit lakes fulfil widely the typical functions of lakes in a landscape. The creation, the current state of water quality and lessons learned in water quality management are reported upon for the pit lakes of the Central German lignite mining district.     

Effect of Water Acidification on the Calcium and Magnesium Concentrations in Caddis Fly Larvae

Data on small lakes in the Finnish Laplandia are used to examine the dependence of Ca and Mg concentrations in caddis fly larvae (Polycentropodidae family) on the concentrations of these elements in water, pH, and the extent of water humification. The concentration of Ca is shown to be virtually independent of its concentration in water, and Mg concentrations are found to be inversely related. The coefficients of accumulation demonstrate a strong inverse dependence on the concentrations of these cations in water, as well as on water pH. The decrease in Ca and Mg concentration in the larvae caused by an increase in pH is shown to be slower than that in water, which is an indirect indication to the presence of mechanisms that maintain the macroelement concentrations in the living organisms at the level required for their normal functioning under the conditions of anthropogenic acidification of water bodies.     

Sensitivity to acidification of subalpine ponds and lakes in north‐western Colorado

Although acidifying deposition in western North America is lower than in many parts of the world, many high‐elevation ecosystems there are extremely sensitive to acidification. Previous studies determined that the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area (MZWA) has the most acidic snowpack and aquatic ecosystems that are among the most sensitive in the region. In this study, spatial and temporal variability of ponds and lakes in and near the MZWA were examined to determine their sensitivity to acidification and the effects of acidic deposition during and after snowmelt. Within the areas identified as sensitive to acidification based on bedrock types, there was substantial variability in acid‐neutralizing capacity (ANC), which was related to differences in hydrological flowpaths that control delivery of weathering products to surface waters. Geological and topographic maps were of limited use in predicting acid sensitivity because their spatial resolution was not fine enough to capture the variability of these attributes for lakes and ponds with small catchment areas. Many of the lakes are sensitive to acidification (summer and autumn ANC < 100 µeq L^?1), but none of them appeared to be threatened immediately by episodic or chronic acidification. In contrast, 22 ponds had minimum ANC < 30 µeq L^?1, indicating that they are extremely sensitive to acidic deposition and could be damaged by episodic acidification, although net acidity (ANC < 0) was not measured in any of the ponds during the study. The lowest measured pH value was 5·4, and pH generally remained less than 6·0 throughout early summer in the most sensitive ponds, indicating that biological effects of acidification are possible at levels of atmospheric deposition that occurred during the study. The aquatic chemistry of lakes was dominated by atmospheric deposition and biogeochemical processes in soils and shallow ground water, whereas the aquatic chemistry of ponds was also affected by organic acids and biogeochemical processes in the water column and at the sediment–water interface. These results indicate that conceptual and mechanistic acidification models that have been developed for lakes and streams may be inadequate for predicting acidification in less‐understood systems such as ponds. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

WIDESPREAD EFFECTS OF CLIMATIC WARMING ON FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS IN NORTH AMERICA

Freshwaters in different regions show many similarities and differences in their responses to climatic warming. Bases for comparison include reports from regional committees, long-term records for several sites where climate has warmed in the past two decades and other human alterations to freshwaters that simulate some of the expected results of climatic warming, such as reservoir construction. Palaeoecological studies of freshwaters under climatic warming and differences in communities under different climatic regimes are also considered. Major changes in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of lakes occur. Many of the changes to lakes and streams are the result of strong effects of climatic warming on terrestrial catchments. Inputs from catchments can be either dampened or amplified by in-lake processes, in some cases causing counter-intuitive responses, such as the acidification of streams but alkalinization of lakes in areas where supplies of base cations are limited. Consideration of land–water interactions and interactions between climatic warming and other human stresses are important for the accurate prediction of the effects of climatic change. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大气污染的湖泊响应及其代用标志

通过洱海和阳宗海大气污染的湖泊响应、代用标志提取和原因分析以及地表水酸化理论和自然酸性湖泊的对比研究,揭示湖水总矿化度和S04^2—的同步异常增大是湖泊早期受酸沉降危害的标志．保存于沉积记录中的磁化率、非磁滞剩磁和介形类、硅藻的数值和种群、密度等变化,可灵敏地揭示湖泊受大气污染的起点、过程和环境影响,可作为酸沉降较重湖区的代用标志．     

Tolerance of water objects to acidification depending on their specific drainage areas—a case study of lakes and rivers in the basin of the Shuya River (Onezhskaya)

The dependence of acidification of water objects on their hydrologic characteristics is considered. An equation is derived to link the input of strong acids into lakes with their specific drainage areas. Based on the results of hydrochemical observations, the acidification of water bodies is analyzed in terms of hydrology and geochemistry.     

Evaluation of lake restoration in Sweden

A large portion of the water resources in Sweden have been afflicted by acidification and eutrophication. Governmental grants have been allocated for external and internal restoration measures for nutrient reductions, and are at the moment given for liming operations in acidified lakes. Objective and results of the Swedish lake restoration programme during the last 20 years are discussed and evaluated. Presented at the International Conference on Lake Restoration in Zürich, 3–4 November 1986     

Chemistry of high mountain lakes in siliceous chatchments of the Central Eastern Alps

Alpine lakes in siliceous catchments of Tyrol and Carinthia (Austria) show signs of acidification. About 9% of the studied lakes have no alkalinity, more than 20% are below pH 6. About two thirds of all lakes have acid neutralizing capacities below 100 eq 1^–1. In spite of moderate precipitation acidity, some lakes show considerable concentrations of dissolved reactive aluminum during or shortly after snowmelt. High altitude lakes of the Alps are definitely more acidic than high mountain lakes in remote areas. Large differences in water and soil chemistry of nearby situated lakes were attributed to heterogeneities of bedrock geology. Paleolimnological investigations on former pH values of five lakes, based on diatom assemblages in the sediment, showed different developments: recent and past acidification, stable conditions, and alkalinization.     

Quality Appraisal of Surface Waters on Fennoscandian Territory

Widely applied bioindication methods are analyzed based on the survey data of 1980–1996 for over 400 lakes and 300 watercourses in the northeastern Fennoscandia known to experience anthropogenic impact (toxification, acidification, eutrophication, and thermofication). Representative results of hydrobiological analysis of the quality of surface waters in areas with mixed toxic pollution (or anthropogenic acidification) may be obtained if methods are applied, different from the bioindication methods that are now accepted as standard for Russia, along with methods of biotesting natural waters. The saprotoxibity index, Kola biotic index, acidification estimation scale, biotesting methods were developed and adapted to regional conditions.     

Assessment of episodic acidification in Sierra Nevada,California

Monte-Carlo simulations were used to assess the extent of shortterm alkalinity depressions occuring in Sierra Nevada lakes due to acidic deposition events. The Episodic Event Model (EEM) was used to simulate spring snowmelt events. Snow course data, precipitation data and lake acidification surveys were used to derive values for the EEM parameters. Spring snowmelt events were shown to have great impacts on the water quality of Sierran lakes. Lakes are likely to be most affected by the early-spring snowmelt event because the epilimnion depth is at a minimum, which indicates minimum dilution. Under annual average loading conditions, no Sierran lake has been reported as acidic although 29% of the lakes have alkalinities less than 40 µeq/L indicating a sensitivity to acidification. In simulations of early-spring snowmelt events, using present-day acidic loading conditions, it was estimated 79% ± 9% of the lakes would experience shortterm lake alkalinity depressions to levels less than 40 µeq/L. The results provided by the model simulations are valuable in establishing upper and lower limits on the extent of possible episodic acidification to lake-resources-at-risk. The most critical parameters controlling the magnitude of lake alkalinity depressions during snowmelt episodic events are a) the lake area to watershed area ratio — a measure of input loading, and b) the epilimnion volume — a measure of dilution and mixing.     

Hydrochemistry of Three Dystrophic Lakes in Northeastern Poland

A hydrochemical investigation was carried out in spring, summer, and autumn, in the years 1991–1994, in three dystrophic lakes of the Wigry National Park (NE Poland). In spite of the fertile catchment basin, the developing ombrofile peat bogs of lake environment results in the acidification of lakes, the presence of small concentrations of dissolved mineral substances (below 50 mg L^–1), and exceptionally high DOC concentrations, exceeding 10 mg L^–1 C. During summer, a strong thermic stratification develops in the lakes, with constant conditions of oxygen deficiency prevailing below 3 m. In the course of the spring and autumn mixing of dystrophic lakes, the deterioration of oxygen conditions occurs in the epilimnion. In spite of high TP and NH₄⁺ concentrations, which increase from spring to autumn, the conditions developing in the lakes are unfavourable, for the functioning of aquatic organisms, on account of the strong shading. The increased direct irradiation of water bodies caused by deforestation or favourable atmospheric conditions results in an increased trophy of lakes.     

浅水湖泊底栖-敞水生境耦合对富营养化的响应与稳态转换机理:对湖泊修复的启示

浅水湖泊中的初级生产者主要由分布在底栖生境中的底栖植物和生活在敞水生境中的浮游植物组成.底栖植物主要包括维管束沉水植物和底栖藻类等,浮游植物则主要为浮游藻类.贫营养浅水湖泊湖水营养盐浓度低,透明度高,底栖植物因能直接从沉积物中获取营养盐,往往是浅水湖泊的优势初级生产者.随着外源营养盐负荷的增加,湖水中的营养盐浓度不断升高,浮游植物受到的营养盐限制作用减小,加上其在光照方面的竞争优势,逐步发展成为湖泊的优势初级生产者,湖泊逐步从底栖植物为优势的清水态转变为浮游植物为主的浑水态,即稳态转换.在稳态转换过程中,浅水湖泊生态系统结构与功能发生了一系列变化,本文综述了浅水湖泊沉积物性质和生物(浮游植物、底栖植物、底栖动物和鱼类等)群落结构的变化,分析了这些变化对底栖植物、浮游植物之间竞争优势和底栖敞水生境间磷交换的影响,探讨了富营养化驱动的底栖敞水生境耦合过程变化和稳态转换机理.了解浅水湖泊底栖敞水生境耦合过程与稳态转换机理对富营养化浅水湖泊修复有重要意义.富营养化浅水湖泊修复实际就是重建其清水态,在制定修复目标时应该关注评价清水态的指标,如透明度、浮游植物生物量、底栖植物的覆盖度或优势度等.在开展湖泊修复技术研发与工程应用时,应该重点关注对底栖敞水生境耦合有重要影响的关键技术,如沉积物磷释放和底栖生物食性鱼类控制以及底栖植物(尤其是沉水植物)恢复等有关技术.     

长江中下游浅水湖泊富营养化发生机制与控制途径初探

长江中下游地区是我国淡水湖泊比较集中的地区。该地区绝大多数湖泊为浅水湖泊,所有的城郊湖泊都已经富营养化,其他湖泊的营养状况均为中营养－富营养,处于富营养化的发展中,这些湖泊富营养化的原因同流域上的人类活动有很大的关系。一方面,工业,农业和城市生活污水正源源不断地向湖泊中排放。另一方面,人类通过湖泊围垦、湖岸忖砌,水产养殖等破坏自然生态环境,减少营养盐输出途径。国际上对于浅水湖泊富营养化治理的经验表明,即使流域上的外源污染排放降到历史最低点,湖泊富营养化问题依然突出,其原因与浅水湖泊底泥所造成的内源污染有关。动力作用导致底泥悬浮,,影响底泥中营养盐的释放,也影响水下光照和初级生产力。控制浅水湖泊富营养化,除了进行外源性营养盐控制之外,还必须进行湖内内源营养盐的治理。治理内源营养盐的有效途径是恢复水生植被,控制底泥动力悬浮与营养盐释放。而要进行水生植被恢复,必须进行湖泊生态系统退化机制及生态修复的实验研究。     

Management of sustainable ecological water levels of endorheic salt lakes in the Inner Mongolian Plateau of China based on eco-hydrological processes

Hydrologic regime plays an important role in maintaining aquatic ecosystem structures and biogeochemical processes of endorheic salt lakes. Due to joint influences of regional climate change, runoff regulation and water withdrawal, ecological water deficiency has been increasingly prominent in endorheic salt lakes in Northwest China, especially in the Inner Mongolian Plateau. Previous studies mainly focused on establishing and applying methods to determine ecological water levels of lakes, while much less attention was paid to a more important problem – how such water levels could be reached under changed watershed hydrological processes. Solutions of this gap were explored in this study using the Dalinuoer Lake as an example. This lake is a typical endorheic salt lake located in the Inner Mongolian Plateau. It is a critical source to provide important ecological services and economic values for locals. Its ecological water level to maintain the optimum salinity threshold was first calculated by applying a statistical analysis of relationships between the phytoplankton biomass, salinity and water level of the lake. Potential measures to preserve the ecological water level of the lake were subsequently evaluated based on a hydrological process analysis of the watershed. The results indicated that the optimum salinity threshold was 5.7 g/L. This value should be also valid for other endorheic salt lakes in this region. According to a function between the water storage and the mean water depth of this lake, the ecological water level was determined to be 10.28 m with an ecological water deficit of 2.5 × 10⁸ m³. A basin water balance analysis using the results proposed measures to maintain a sustainable ecological water level, including controlling local water consumption and infusing ecological water. The results of this study could be extrapolated to other similar conditions to provide guidance for policy-makers, so that better decisions could be hopefully forged to protect eco-hydrological processes of endorheic salt lakes in the Mongolian Plateau, as well as other comparable scenarios.     

Critical loads of acidity for Irish lakes

Critical loads of acidity have been estimated for Irish lakes (277) using survey data from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and compatible inputs and methods across both regions. This is the first trans-region application of the Steady-State Water Chemistry model for the island of Ireland. Results indicate that a small percentage of lakes (10.8%, 30 lakes) have low critical loads of acidity (<50.0 mmol_c m^-2 yr^-1). Based on bulk sulphate deposition, exceedance of critical load was observed in 6.9% of the sampled lakes (19 lakes). Inferences relating to the whole lake population cannot be made, as statistical lake surveys were not carried out. However, as the surveys were weighted towards acid-sensitive lakes, the current study suggests that Irish lakes are not under a significant threat from anthropogenic acidification. The acidifying impact of nitrogen was incorporated into the exceedance calcula tion by superimposing the present leaching of nitrogen onto sulphate deposition. This increased exceedance by ഌ% (i.e., from 11 to 19 lakes). Despite the potential uncertainties associated with using default values and relationships in the Steady-State Water Chemistry model, uncertainty analysis indicated that the critical loads were relatively stable. The critical acid neutralising capacity limit (specified water quality criterion) had the greatest effect on the critical load. In the current study, a catchment dependent limit was employed (ranged: 0-50 7mol_c L^-1; mean: 35 7mol_c L^-1) rather than a single fixed value.     

水质较好湖泊环境保护的理论基础及中国实践

目前,我国湖泊富营养化及蓝藻水华问题十分突出,国家高度重视湖泊的生态环境保护.自“九五”以来,国家就投入太湖、巢湖、滇池“老三湖”等重污染湖泊的治理,但成本巨大,且历经近30年才初见成效.按照湖泊污染程度,湖泊治理与保护可分为“污染治理型”“防治结合型”“生态保育型”3大类.“老三湖”的治理是典型的“先污染、后治理”的模式,水质较好湖泊主要属于生态保育型湖泊,因此,“老三湖”治理模式不适用于水质较好湖泊的保护.本文系统总结了我国水质较好湖泊优先保护理念的形成和水质较好湖泊专项实施的历程.根据水质较好湖泊的特点,及其生态系统退化与修复的一般过程,提出了水质较好湖泊保护的基本思路.从热力学角度,阐明了氮磷营养盐输入湖泊生态系统中是熵增过程,也是湖泊生态系统退化的根本原因,湖泊氮磷污染负荷源头控制是关键.湖泊流域生态安全格局是确保湖泊生态系统健康的基础,从景观生态学角度,阐明了优化湖泊流域水土资源利用、优化发展模式是减轻湖泊环境压力的重要途径.在浅水湖泊生态系统,以沉水植物占优势的“清水态”和以浮游植物占优势的“浊水态”转换过程不是沿着同一条途径,存在上临界阈值和下临界阈值,水生态修复过程表现出一种迟滞的现象.从湖泊水生态系统稳态转换理论角度,阐明了湖泊生态修复工程应在湖泊生态系统发生退化转变之前实施,才能获得较高的环境效益.通过国家财政专项对81个水质较好湖泊的支持,既能促进湖泊流域经济社会发展,又能确保湖泊水环境质量变好,湖泊水生态系统逐步改善.建议加强不同类型湖泊保护模式的总结,深入对水质较好湖泊生态系统演替理论和保护技术研究,支撑国家系统开展水质较好湖泊保护.     

The nutrient forms,cycling and exchange flux in the sediment and overlying water system in lakes from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River

This paper is a review of research works concerning the nutrient transportation, transformation and exchange between water, sediment and biota in the lakes from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River conducted in the context of project entitled “The Processes and Mechanism of Lake Eutrophication in Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River”. All the lakes from this area are shallow lakes. According to the typical lake site research, the lakes from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River have a higher baseline of nutrition in the history. Normally the trophic status of these lakes can be categorized into medium-trophic or eutrophic Human activities have been enhanced during the last decades, which speed up the lake eutrophic process. Lake eutrophication control needs to reduce not only the external nutrient inputs from watershed but also the internal loading from the sediments. Investigations revealed that the lake sediments in this area are considerablly high in nutrition in which at most about 30% of phosphorus exists in the form of bio-available in the sediment. The surface sediment will exert great effects on the nutrient exchange between water-sediment interface via adsorption and release of nutrient. The nutrient release from the sediment in these shallow lakes is mainly in two ways, i.e. in the undisturbed condition the nutrient is released through diffusion created by the nutrient gradient from sediment to overlying water; whereas in disturbed condition, the nutrient release is determined by the hydrodynamic forcing intensity and the sediment resuspension. Metallic elements such as the iron, manganese and aluminium and the aerobic-anaerobic ambience will affect the release of nutrients. The disturbed release will increase the total nutrients in the water column significantly in the short period. At the beginning of sediment resuspension, the dissolved nutrient concentration will increase. This increase will be damped if the ferric oxide and aluminium are rich in sediment because of the adsorption and flocculation. This means that the lakes have capability of eliminating the nutrient loadings. Investigations for the lakes from middle and down stream of Yangtze River have suggested that most lakes have the self-cleaning capability. Dredging the control of the internal loading, therefore, is only applicable to the small lakes or undisturbed bays which normally are situated nearby the city or town and rich in organic materials in the sediment. In addition, the strong reduction condition and weak aeration of these lakes and bays make these small lakes and bays release much more bio-available nutrient and without much self-eliminating capability. Moreover, eutrophication induced algal bloom in these lakes will change the pH of water, which further induces the increase in the nutrient release. In turn, the increase in nutrient release promotes the growth of phytoplankton and results in severe algal bloom. For the heavily polluted water, research suggests that the biomass of bacteria and alkaline phosphatase activity will be higher corresponding to the higher concentration of nutrients, which accelerates the nutrient recycling between water, sediment and biota. Quick recycling of nutrient, in turn, promotes the production and biomass growth of microorganism and leads to more severe eutrophication. Further research work should focus on the nutrient transformation mechanism and the effects of microbial loop on the eutrophication.

     

The nutrient forms, cycling and exchange flux in the sediment and overlying water system in lakes from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River

This paper is a review of research works concerning the nutrient transportation, transformation and exchange between water, sediment and biota in the lakes from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River conducted in the context of project entitled "The Processes and Mechanism of Lake Eutrophication in Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River". All the lakes from this area are shallow lakes. According to the typical lake site research, the lakes from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River have a higher baseline of nutrition in the history. Normally the trophic status of these lakes can be categorized into medium-trophic or eutrophic. Human activities have been enhanced during the last decades, which speed up the lake eutrophic process. Lake eutrophication control needs to reduce not only the external nutrient inputs from watershed but also the internal loading from the sediments. Investigations revealed that the lake sediments in this area are considerablly high in nutrition in which at most about 30% of phosphorus exists in the form of bio-available in the sediment. The surface sediment will exert great effects on the nutrient exchange between water-sediment interface via adsorption and release of nutrient. The nutrient release from the sediment in these shallow lakes is mainly in two ways, i.e. in the undisturbed condition the nutrient is released through diffusion created by the nutrient gradient from sediment to overlying water; whereas in disturbed condition, the nutrient release is determined by the hydrodynamic forcing intensity and the sediment resuspension. Metallic elements such as the iron, manganese and aluminium and the aerobic-anaerobic ambience will affect the release of nutrients. The disturbed release will increase the total nutrients in the water column significantly in the short period. At the beginning of sediment resuspension, the dissolved nutrient concentration will increase. This increase will be damped if the ferric oxide and aluminium are rich in sediment because of the adsorption and flocculation. This means that the lakes have capability of eliminating the nutrient loadings. Investigations for the lakes from middle and down stream of Yangtze River have suggested that most lakes have the self-cleaning capability. Dredging the control of the internal loading, therefore, is only applicable to the small lakes or undisturbed bays which normally are situated nearby the city or town and rich in organic materials in the sediment. In addition, the strong reduction condition and weak aeration of these lakes and bays make these small lakes and bays release much more bio-available nutrient and without much self-eliminating capability. Moreover, eutrophication induced algal bloom in these lakes will change the pH of water, which further induces the increase in the nutrient release. In turn, the increase in nutrient release promotes the growth of phytoplankton and results in severe algal bloom. For the heavily polluted water, research suggests that the biomass of bacteria and alkaline phosphatase activity will be higher corresponding to the higher concentration of nutrients, which accelerates the nutrient recycling between water, sediment and biota. Quick recycling of nutrient, in turn, promotes the production and biomass growth of microorganism and leads to more severe eutrophication. Further research work should focus on the nutrient transformation mechanism and the effects of microbial loop on the eutrophication.