Prediction of macrophyte communities in drought‐affected groundwater‐fed headwater streams

The results of a 10 year study of groundwater‐dominated streams in the chalklands of southern England show that macrophyte communities occupying the headwaters of such streams have a measurable variability in terms of species composition and spatial cover, especially in relation to river flow. This occurs as a result of species adaptation to typically ephemeral flow regimes. Associations have also been established between variations in the vegetation and hydroclimatic parameters at the catchment scale, such as rainfall, percolation and soil moisture conditions. This has led to the derivation of a system whereby the nature of headwater macrophyte communities can be forecast/hindcast, on the basis of parameterized, antecedent flow records, to a current accuracy level of 72% for any of 13 community types and 90% for any of four community groups. It is anticipated that this accuracy rate will improve with (i) an updated community classification, (ii) refinement of the parameterization procedures for flow records, and (iii) the extension of the method from the six study streams currently under scrutiny to a further 18 streams. Greater accuracy of prediction will be constrained by natural variation within the vegetation and the interaction of an array of geomorphological and land‐use variables operating at diverse spatial scales. The process used here to establish vegetation–flow relationships could be used in other locations with groundwater‐fed streams, providing a useful tool for assessing some of the impacts of bioclimatic changes driven by global warming. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in the spectral and chemical properties of a water mass passing through extensive macrophyte beds in a large fluvial lake (Lake Saint-Pierre, Québec, Canada)

Large fluvial lakes, as part of river corridors, are recognized as spatially heterogeneous ecosystems. Due to their shallowness, the littoral zone of these lakes occupies a large proportion of their surface and is extensively covered by macrophytes that are known to affect their physical, chemical and biological environments in various ways. This study documents the small-scale (5 km) bio-optical variations associated with the longitudinal passage of a water mass through macrophyte beds during their maximal growth season. The utilization of a 2D hydrodynamic model allowed us to establish hydrological connectivity between stations within the beds, and thus to identify longitudinal heterogeneity along the macrophyte beds. Significant changes in the inherent properties of the water were observed along the upstream-downstream gradient. Due to their effects on hydrodynamics, macrophytes were responsible for a decrease in particles and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) resulting in an increasing penetration depth of ultraviolet (UV) and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Along the transect, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) decreased more rapidly than DOC resulting in a decrease of the CDOM to DOC ratio. The observed changes in the DOC pool may be explained by the constant input of non-chromophoric DOC from macrophyte leachates and exudation within the bed and/or the photochemical and microbial degradation of CDOM. The implication of such small-scale heterogeneity on Lake Saint-Pierre productivity is discussed.     

水位变化对鄱阳湖苦草潜在生境面积的影响

苦草是鄱阳湖越冬水鸟的重要食物资源，为量化水位变化对鄱阳湖苦草生境的影响，基于环境流体动力学模型（EFDC）和生境适宜度曲线，构建了鄱阳湖苦草生境数值模拟模型；对三峡水库175 m试验性蓄水后鄱阳湖苦草潜在生境面积变化进行了连续模拟，建立了苦草潜在适宜生境和水深≤4 m水域面积变化与星子站水位的定量响应函数；并据此分析了三峡水库运用及拟建鄱阳湖水利枢纽对苦草潜在生境面积的影响。星子站水位15 m左右时苦草潜在生境面积最大，潜在适宜生境和水深≤4 m水域面积分别为1 703 km²和2 336 km²。三峡水库运用可有效保障鄱阳湖苦草潜在生境面积，但其扰动幅度也明显减小，潜在适宜生境和水深≤4 m水域面积序列标准差在三峡运用后减幅分别达到27%和47%。拟建鄱阳湖水利枢纽调控水位在其下闸蓄水期和长江上游水库蓄水调节期内宜分别控制在16 m以下和13.5 m以上，可保障潜在适宜生境及水深≤4 m水域面积与最大值相比减幅分别控制在20%和10%以内。成果明晰了水位变化对鄱阳湖苦草潜在生境面积的定量影响规律，为江湖新水沙条件下鄱阳湖生态系统保育提供了量化依据。     

Response of sediment characteristics to trophic state change at submerged macrophyte zones in a large shallow Lake Wuliangsuhai, China

Sediment samples at different depths were collected from a large shallow lake named Wuliangsuhai in China, in order to determine the response of sediment characteristics to trophic state change. The lake changed from natural state to eutrophication in the late 1970s, creating a Transitional Sediment Layer （TSL） that can be visually used to separate sediments derived from multi-biology and macrophytes. Sediment characteristics were enumerated as a means of corroborating extant eutrophication data from sediment record. Inferences about the timing and trajectory of eutrophication were made using sediment characteristics-based reconstruction. Water content, electrical conductivity, pH, organic matter, nutrient （total nitrogen and total phosphorus） and metals （As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and V） were measured in about 20 different layers of 63-71 cm deep columns of the sediment.     

Sediment phosphorus fractions and profile distribution at different vegetation growth zones in a macrophyte dominated shallow Wuliangsuhai Lake,China

Sediment phosphorus (P) fractions and profile distribution at submerged macrophyte growth zone, emergent macrophyte growth zone and open-water zone were studied in Wuliangsuhai Lake, China, as well as the correlations among water content, grain size, and organic matter and P fractions. Among the three surveyed zones, the highest concentrations of most P forms occurred in the surface sediment and the lowest between a depth of 12 and 22 cm, except HCl-P and NaOH-P. Sediment phosphorus was mainly associated to inorganic forms (>50%) in three surveyed areas, and the highest value of inorganic phosphorus (IP) in the surface sediment was obtained from submerged macrophyte growth zone. Submerged and emergent macrophytes increased the IP content by 107 and 44 μg/g, respectively, in the surface sediment compared with open-water zone. Vertical profiles of IP in the three surveyed zones showed that the concentrations decreased from surface to 12 cm depth and then increased. There was a similar trend in the sediment profiles of organic phosphorus (OP) and total phosphorus (TP), but the highest concentration of OP and TP in surface sediment was obtained from the emergent macrophyte growth zone. Compared with open-water zone, the emergent macrophyte increased TP content in surface sediment by 1.73 times to 1,320 μg/g, while submerged macrophyte enhanced TP content in the surface sediment by 1.13 times to 865 μg/g. It was observed that in macrophyte growth zones, a strong linear correlation existed between organic matter and OP (r > 0.98), and the maximum concentrations of OP were present in the areas with maximum concentrations of organic matter. Results show that, although rooted macrophyte could uptake directly P from sediments, it is responsible for increasing the internal P loading especially OP by reducing current velocities, attenuating wave energy and generating organic residue in Wuliangsuhai Lake.     

在藻型富营养湖泊中恢复大型水生植物净化水质的物理生态工程——以中国太湖五里湖为例

In the barren lake, algae-type eutrophication lake, fifteen aquatic vascular plants were introduced and vegetated in our enclosures of physical-ecological engineering. The area of each enclosure is 200 m², with length of 40m, width of 5m and depth of 1.8m. From 1995 to 1997, we had successfully vegetated 15 communities with the propagation techniques of pot-culture and sturdy seedling. The communities included floating, leave-floating and submerged macrophytes, such as Altemanthera phyiloxeroides, Eichhomia crassipes, Trapa maximowiczii, Nymphoides peltata, Potamogeton maackianus, P. crispus, Myriophyllum spicatum, Hydrilla verticillata, Elodea nuttallii, etc. These aquatic macrophytes not only adapted themselves to the environment but also purified the lake water.     

苦草(Vallisneria natans)和黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)对沉积物各形态磷垂直分布的影响

采用沉水植物苦草(V.natans)和黑藻(H.verticillata)作为研究对象,在其旺盛生长期测定群落内外上覆水及沉积物各形态磷的含量,以探究不同根系特点的沉水植物对沉积物中各形态磷垂直分布的影响.结果表明:实验进行30 d后苦草和黑藻组沉积物总磷(TP)、无机磷(IP)和氢氧化钠提取磷(NaOH-P)含量在垂直方向均呈现不同程度的降低.苦草和黑藻组沉积物TP的含量在4.5 cm深度处降低幅度最大,较对照组分别下降了58.91和36.46 mg/kg;IP含量分别在沉积物6.0和3.0 cm深度处降低幅度最大,较对照组分别降低了85.41和57.41 mg/kg.总体来看,沉水植物苦草对沉积物各形态磷含量降低的影响大于黑藻.     

浅水草型湖泊除草技术的实验

滆湖位于江苏南部,面积为164km~2,是一个典型的草型湖泊,其中80X以上的面积为黄丝草(Pataraogeton maackianus)所覆盖。针对该湖水生植被中草食性鱼类喜食性水草资源逐渐衰竭,非喜食性水草群落逐渐扩张的状况,1988—1990年,进行了湖泊水草群落的定向改良试验和抑制相关水草发生和蔓延的试验。结果表明,采用生物防治,以鱼除草,无论是网拦放牧式除草技术,还是网围养殖式除草技术,对各种沉水植物都可彻底清除,而且直接将水草转化为鱼产品,并且有利于湖泊水域生态环境的改善。     

环境胁迫对水生植物根系分泌小分子量有机酸(LMWOAs)的影响特征

本文首次对马来眼子菜(Potamogeton malaianus)、苦草(Vallisneria natans)、芦苇(Phragmites australis)、菖蒲(Acorus calamus)、荇菜(Nymphoides peltatum)和菱角(Trapa incisa) 6种水生植物根系小分子量有机酸(Low Molecular Weight Organic Acids,LMWOAs)分泌差异性及其对环境胁迫(温度、缺磷和高铵态氮)响应特征进行研究结果证实6种受试植物根系分泌LMWOAs组成和含量具有明显的物种差异性;其中,甲酸、乳酸和草酸为主要有机酸温度可显著影响水生植物根系LMWOAs分泌量而对种类影响不大,高温(30℃)刺激莕菜根系LMWOAs分泌量增加,但却明显抑制苦草和菖蒲根系LMWOAs分泌; 25℃时马来眼子菜、芦苇和菱角根系LMWOAs分泌量最多缺磷和高铵态氮胁迫均会显著影响水生植物根系LMWOAs分泌量和种类缺磷胁迫促进苦草、菖蒲和莕菜根系LMWOAs分泌量增加68.68%、55.30%和257.82%,并刺激乙酸和苹果酸等有机酸分泌;而缺磷胁迫可导致马来眼子菜、芦苇和菱角根系LMWOAs分泌量降低38.72%、13.79%和58.99%,且乳酸、甲酸和丁二酸分泌完全被抑制;这表明苦草、菖蒲和莕菜三者能较好的适应缺磷环境高铵态氮胁迫下苦草根系LMWOAs分泌量和种类增加明显;而其余5种受试植物在高铵态氮胁迫下根系LMWOAs分泌量被明显抑制,尤其是乳酸、苹果酸和酒石酸含量显著降低综上所述,水生植物分泌LMWOAs特征差异性显著,可在一定程度上反映其耐逆境胁迫能力,本文结果将为水生植物生态修复机理和实践提供重要理论依据.     

沉水植物附植生物群落生态学研究进展

在高等水生植物表面经常附着生长着藻类、真菌和细菌等,这些有机群体组成附植生物群落,在大中型浅水湖泊中普遍存在.附植生物群落具有特定的物种组成和空间结构,并随季节推移和沉水植物生长表现出一定的动态变化特征.附植生物群落与宿主植物及周围水体环境联系密切,不仅能够表征水体营养盐、光照、温度等环境因子特征,与沉水植物、食草动物、浮游植物等水生生物类群也存在不同的相互作用.水生生态系统中,附植生物群落参与水体营养物质转化,在草-藻型湖泊生态系统的相互转化过程中起重要作用;其较高的初级生产力作为水生动物重要的食物来源,增加了食物网的多样性;同时,附植生物群落因其独特的生理生态特征正逐渐被应用于水质净化和水环境质量监测.本文在综述近年来附植生物群落研究进展的基础上,分析了附植生物群落的组成结构和动态变化特征,阐述了附植生物群落在水生生态系统中的功能,可为湖泊富营养化治理,尤其是沉水植被的生态修复和管理提供科学依据.