A Stable Carbon Isotope Study of the Food-web in a Freshwater-deprived South African Estuary, with Particular Emphasis on the Ichthyofauna

The importance of macrophytes as food sources for estuarine nekton is unclear. Previous carbon isotope investigations in the macrophyte-dominated, freshwater-deprived Kariega Estuary showed that the bivalveSolen cylindraceusdid not utilize the dominant estuarine macrophytes found within the estuary as a primary food source. This finding prompted questions as to what the nekton of this estuary utilize as primary energy sources. δ¹³C analyses of the principal autochthonous and allochthonous primary carbon sources, as well as the dominant invertebrate and fish species, indicate that there are two main carbon pathways within the Kariega Estuary. The littoral community, which incorporates the majority of crustaceans, gobies, mullet and a sparid, utilizes δ¹³C enriched primary food sources namelySpartina maritima,Zosteracapensis and epiphytes. The channel fauna, which includes the zooplankton, zooplanktivorous and piscivorous fish, utilizes a primary food source depleted in δ¹³C, which is most likely a mixture of phytoplankton, terrestrial plant debris and C₄macrophyte detritus. The C₃saltmarsh macrophytesSarcocornia perennisandChenolea diffusa, as well as benthic microalgae, appear to be less important as primary food sources to the nekton of the Kariega Estuary.     

The effect of a storm surge event on the macrophytes of a temporarily open/closed estuary,South Africa

Temporarily open/closed estuaries typically open to the sea due to freshwater inflow coupled with storm surge events. In September 2008, in the absence of freshwater inflow, the mouth of the East Kleinemonde Estuary breached in response to a storm surge. The mouth of the estuary closed the following day at a high level. Marine overwash events following the breach introduced large volumes of saline water into the estuary and raised the water level by 0.07–0.33 m. Salinity was significantly higher in the 15 month closed phase after the breach (31 ± 0.9) compared to 21.9 ± 0.9 in the closed brackish phase before the breach. The historical average salinity for the estuary during a closed period is 23–25. The increase in salinity has reduced submerged macrophytes Ruppia cirrhosa and Chara vulgaris cover by 38.1%. Macroalgal cover of species such as Dictyota dichotoma, Caulacanthus ustulatus, Codium tenue and Ulva spp. have increased by 7.9%. The saline high water levels have also significantly reduced supratidal salt marsh cover by 15.2%, and reed and sedge cover by 19.7%. Loss of these habitats may result in bank destabilisation and erosion. This is the first record of an extended saline period in the 15 years the estuary has been monitored. Sea level rise in association with climate change, together with localised freshwater inflow reduction is likely to result in an increase in marine overwash events. The frequency and duration of closed saline periods are likely to increase in this type of estuary. A loss of submerged macrophytes may have significant impacts on faunal composition and abundance and on the subsequent functioning of temporarily open/closed estuaries. This has serious ecological implications since these estuaries represent 70% of the different types of estuaries found in South Africa.     

湖泊生态恢复的关键因子分析

中国是一个多湖泊的国家。由于经济快速发展及湖泊资源不合理的开发利用,中国湖泊的污染问题和生态系统退化相当普遍。特别是由于氮、磷等营养元素的富集造成的水体富营养化,导致蓝藻水华频繁发生,甚至出现了饮用水危机事件。由于缺乏基础理论的指导,中国湖泊富营养化治理曾经走过弯路。在没有实现控源截污的条件下,片面强调生态恢复来净化湖泊水环境,一度成为富营养化湖泊治理的主流思想。实际上,湖泊生态恢复是有条件的,而对这些条件的诊断和分析是开展湖泊生态恢复的前提和基础。通过对太湖水生植物分布及其影响因子分析,确定沉水植物恢复的核心条件是水下光照条件。水下光照条件受富营养水平、悬浮物浓度与水深等因子的影响。只有当一个水域的真光层深度接近水深的情况(比值>0.8),恢复水生植物才有可能。改善水下光照条件,包括降低水深,提高透明度,消除风浪等措施,实际上,都是增加真光层深度与水深的比值。在上述生态恢复条件不具备的情况下,湖泊治理与恢复的工作更多地应该聚焦在控源截污方面。这对中国湖泊污染治理与生态恢复具有普遍的意义。     

Macrophyte management: An integrated perspective

A concept of aquatic macrophyte management that integrates the positive and negative aspects of vegetation in lakes and rivers is discussed. This integrated approach involves three factors: macrophyte control, macrophyte enhancement, and identification and resolution of the conflicts created by multiple use of a waterbody. The primary decision in macrophyte management programmes must be whether to optimise for single‐purpose or for multipurpose use of the waterbody. Both technical (macrophyte control and enhancement) and social (conflict resolution) procedures are required to solve problems associated with the macrophyte status of multipurpose waterbodies.     

水深梯度对苦草(Vallisneria natans)克隆生长与觅食行为的影响

为了解水深梯度对苦草克隆生长与觅食行为的影响,通过大型原位浮台实验,将苦草幼苗盆栽后悬挂在不同水深(1.0、2.5、4.0、5.5、7.0 m)下培养,比较其生物量、无性系分株数、出芽数、株高、最大根长和匍匐茎总长的变化,并且评估了植株生物量对这些性状的影响.研究结果表明,随水深的增加苦草的生物量、无性系分株数、出芽数、最大根长、匍匐茎总长均显著降低,而株高随水深梯度呈先增加后降低的趋势.植株生物量仅对出芽数没有显著影响.水深梯度与植株生物量的交互作用仅对无性系分株数和匍匐茎总长有显著影响,而对其他性状没有显著影响,说明这两个性状对水深的响应受到个体发育的影响.     

超富营养城市湖泊原位生态修复效果分析——以武汉南湖为例

城市湖泊普遍面临富营养化问题,许多湖泊甚至处于超富营养状态。鉴于其在供水、气候调节、景观提升等方面的重要作用,以水质提升为目标的生态修复对于恢复湖泊生态功能、提升城市景观等具有重要意义。文章以超富营养城市湖泊——武汉南湖为例,尝试通过围隔构建、鱼类清除、水生植被重建等生态措施改善示范区水质,探究超富营养湖泊生态修复技术。于2019年8月至12月在示范区进行实验。结果表明：（1）示范区修复措施实施后,挺水植物植株高度显著增加（P<0.01）,芦苇平均株高由0.7 m增加至1.2 m,香蒲的新生叶片在种植后50 d高达1.4 m,二者在种植后90 d,覆盖率均由种植时的10%上升至70%;（2）示范区内透明度由修复前的0.26 m上升至0.77 m,显著高于外湖区（0.26 m）（P<0.01）;（3）示范区内浮游藻类叶绿素a（chl a）由修复前38.90 μg/L降低至3.41 μg/L,显著低于外湖区（101.91μg/L）（P<0.01）;（4）示范区总氮（TN）由4.78 mg/L降低至2.60 mg/L,总磷（TP）由0.76 mg/L降低至0.08 mg/L,二者均略低于外湖区,但均不显著（P>0.05）。总体来看,经过一系列修复措施后,示范区内水生植被得到很好的恢复,水质条件得到一定的改善：透明度提升较多,chl a下降明显。氮、磷等营养水平虽然也有所降低,但与外湖区差异不大,可能是沉积物内源营养释放导致。研究表明,围隔构建、鱼类清除、水生植被重建等生态修复措施虽然可在一定程度上改善富营养湖泊水质状况,但未能有效控制内源负荷,仍需采取底质改良措施以达到降低水体营养含量的目的。相关研究结果可为城市超富营养湖泊生态修复及水质提升提供一定的借鉴。     

东营凹陷古近系古湖盆演化与水化学场响应

采用人工配制污水为实验用水进行室内水培实验,研究10种人工湿地中常见水生植物对氨氮和总磷的同化吸收能力,筛选出净化效果好的植物,构建植物组合,以单一植物为对照,研究植物组合对于提高氨氮、总磷净化效果的作用．结果表明：不同植物对氨氮、总磷的去除能力差别较大千屈菜（Lythrum salicaria）、菖蒲（Acorus calamus）、美人蕉（Cannindica）、达香蒲（Typha davidiana）对氨氮净化效果较好,初始浓度2969mg／L、15d后,去除率966％、98．6％、877％、95．1％美人蕉、凤眼莲（Eichhornia crssipes）、干屈菜、石菖蒲（Acorus tartarinowii）对TP净化效果较好,初始浓度4．44mg／L、15d后,去除率99．0％、546％、69．9％、36．7％千屈菜与石菖蒲的组合能同时提高氨氮与总磷的净化效果;美人蕉与干屈菜的组合、菖蒲与美人蕉的组合、菖蒲与千屈菜的组合、美人蕉与石菖蒲的组合能提高总磷的净化效果组合实验结果表明,适当的水生植物组合能提高氨氮与总磷的净化效果。     

太湖康山湾示范区水生植物对水体氮、磷控制的适用性分析

为重建湖泊水生植被,改善太湖局部水域水质,在太湖康山湾示范区两个大型围隔进行了两种类型水生植物重建.通过2010年8月-2011年8月的现场采样及分析测定发现,人工控制条件下,浮叶植物荇菜和菱以及沉水植物马来眼子菜的重建效果较好,在其生长季节具有较高的覆盖度;研究表明,控制风浪及提高透明度是恢复水生植被的前提;植被重建区沉水植物氮、磷含量与浮叶植物差别不大,但浮叶植物重建区水体氮、磷浓度的控制比沉水植物重建区好;从经济及水环境效益角度来看,太湖敞水区的沿岸带由于风浪的控制比较困难,恢复水生植被时,应选择浮叶植物荇菜、菱、沉水植物马来眼子菜等抗风浪能力强的物种.本研究为太湖敞水区沿岸带的生态恢复方案制定提供了理论依据.     

改性粘土辅助沉水植物修复技术维持清水稳态的原位研究

在富营养湖泊治理实践中,修复沉水植被被认为是改善水质的长效措施,而壳聚糖改性粘土是短期快速改善水质的有效手段.本研究利用改性粘土辅助沉水植被修复,旨在探索改善水质的长效方案.2011年5-11月在太湖梅梁湾开展了四组不同处理(对照、水草、水草+粘土、粘土)围隔实验,在水草(盖度13.0%)和水草+粘土(盖度52.3%)围隔中不同程度重建了苦草群落.实验期内每3 d一次的水质监测表明,粘土处理可显著改善水质,水体总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)、正磷酸盐(PO34--P)和叶绿素a(Chl.a)含量分别比对照下降了20.7%、74.6%、31.0%和80.4%,透明度(SD)升高了90.4%;粘土辅助植被修复改善水质效果最长稳,水体TN、TP、PO34--P和Chl.a含量分别比对照下降了36.2%、64.0%、28.6%和71.1%,SD升高了76.4%;低盖度苦草群落单独处理对水质改善效果不显著.在三种处理中,粘土辅助植被修复改善底质效果最好,使间隙水的TN、TP、PO34--P、NH4+-N分别比实验前下降了15.6%、61.7%、55.8%和82.8%.本研究表明改性粘土辅助沉水植被修复可作为重富营养水体中水质改善的整合技术,但其长期生态效应仍需谨慎评估.     

洱海四种沉水植物对弱光环境的适应性比较

水下弱光环境是水生态系统沉水植被恢复面临的常见问题,因此研究沉水植物在弱光胁迫下的适应性是必要的.本研究以云南大理州洱海南部重度退化的湖区(惯称湖心平台,曾分布有大面积沉水植物)作为实验地点,选取4种沉水植物——苦草(Vallisneria natans)、轮叶黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)、穗花狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)、竹叶眼子菜(Potamogeton wrightii)作为研究对象,开展原位盆栽实验,通过比较4种沉水植物的生长情况来选取潜在的目标物种,为洱海湖心平台沉水植被恢复提供科学依据.结果表明:1)水下弱光环境对4种沉水植物生长均造成胁迫,生物量和株高显著性降低,物种间的相对生物量差异表现为:苦草和竹叶眼子菜轮叶黑藻和穗花狐尾藻,相对株高差异表现为:苦草竹叶眼子菜穗花狐尾藻轮叶黑藻;2)生理特征方面,苦草、穗花狐尾藻和竹叶眼子菜有相似的胁迫反应,均表现为:氮(N)和游离氨基酸含量均升高,碳氮比(C∶N比)、可溶性糖含量与淀粉含量均下降,仅苦草的叶绿素含量升高,而轮叶黑藻的生理胁迫反应表现为:氨基酸含量下降,可溶性糖和淀粉含量升高;3)四者最终存活率为:苦草竹叶眼子菜穗花狐尾藻轮叶黑藻,且苦草相对生物量和相对株高高于其他3种植物.以上原位实验结果表明,与其他3种植物相比,苦草更能适应湖心平台的水下弱光环境,可考虑作为湖心平台沉水植被恢复的目标物种.