Variation characteristics of heavy metals and nutrients in the core sediments of Taihu Lake and their pollution history

The sedimentary environment change, trophic evolution and heavy metals pollution history of the northern Taihu Lake in the last 100 years are studied according to the sedimentary geo-chemical proxies of the core sediments, such as grain size, nutrients, heavy metals, diatom, etc. The nutrients in the sediments depended mainly on the lake internal circulation and the heavy metals were from natural geogenic sources before the 1920s, which were not influenced by human activities generally, and grain size was one of the key factors influencing heavy metals content in the sediments. The alternation of manner and strength of human activities in Taihu Lake catchment before and after the 1920s made the lake sediments coarser, and hence heavy metals and TP content decreased contrasted with that before the 1920s. TP content in sediments and water increased from the 1950s to late 1970s due to anthropogenic pollutants discharge, and the lake belonging to mesotrophic state. TN and TOC content and C/N ratio increased due to the increasing external pollutants into Taihu Lake by human activities, TP content also increased obviously in water and sediments, and the diatom association was dominated by eutrophic species since the late 1970s, indicating the eutrophication state of Taihu Lake in this period. Meanwhile the increasing in heavy metals content, such as Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, and their proportion of valid fractions in the sediments indicates that they all result from human pollutants since the late 1970s. The heavy metals in the surface sediments have certain potential biological toxicity due to the higher SEM/AVS ratio.     

Preliminary study on assessment of nutrient transport in the Taihu Basin based on SWAT modeling

With the Taihu Basin as a study area, using the spatially distributed and mechanism-based SWAT model, preliminary simulations of nutrient transport in the Taihu Basin during the period of 1995-2002 has been carried out. The topography, soil, meteorology and land use with industrial point pollution discharge, the loss of agricultural fertilizers, urban sewerage, and livestock drainages were all considered in the boundary conditions of the simulations. The model was calibrated and validated against water quality monitoring data from 2001 to 2002. The results show that the annual total productions of nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP) into Lake Taihu are 40000t and 2000t respectively. Nutrient from the Huxi Region is a major resource for Lake Taihu. The non-point source (surface source) pollution is the main form of catchment sources of nutrients into Lake Taihu, occupied TN 53% and TP 56% respectively. TN and TP nutrients from industrial point pollution discharge are 30% and 16%, and sewerage in both forms of point source and non-point source are TN 31 % and TP 47%. Both the loss of agricultural fertilizers and livestock drainages from the catchment should be paid more attention as an important nutrient source. The results also show that SWAT is an effective model for the simulation of temporally and spatially nutrient changes and for the assessment of the trends in a catchment scale.     

The relationship between electrical conductivity and selected macroinvertebrate communities in four river systems of south-west Victoria, Australia

In order to relate macroinvertebrate fauna to electrical conductivity (EC), a survey of selected orders of macroinvertebrates was conducted in the Glenelg, Hopkins, Merri and Barwon River Catchments in south-west Victoria, Australia. The survey consisted of sampling 21 paired sites at confluences of streams. There was little difference between the in-stream habitat but there was a range of differences in EC between each of the paired sites. The dissimilarity of macroinvertebrate fauna between the paired sites was compared to the proportional difference in EC and other water quality variables (dissolved oxygen, water temperature, pH, NO₂−N, NO₃−N, PO₄ and turbidity). This allowed the elimination of EC being confounded with geographical scale parameters and took into account other water quality parameters that may be confounded with EC. A positive relationship was found between the dissimilarity of the fauna at each of the two paired sites and the proportional difference in EC. No such relationship was found for any other measured water quality variable. The results of this survey show that macroinvertebrate community structure is associated with EC of the river systems investigated after eliminating large scale geographical patterns, in-stream habitat and the measured water quality parameters.     

2010-2011年胶州湾叶绿素a与环境因子的时空变化特征

2010年4、6、8、10月和2011年1、3月在胶州湾开展了6个航次的综合调查,研究了表层海水温度、盐度、营养盐和叶绿素a浓度的时空变化特征。调查期间,总无机氮(DIN)、磷酸盐(PO4)和硅酸盐(SiO3)多呈现东北部湾边缘高,而湾内和湾口低的空间分布特征。季节变化表明,DIN和PO4主要受养殖排放、河流径流输入和浮游植物生长消耗的影响,呈现初夏和秋季高,夏末和冬季低的特点;而SiO3主要受河流径流输入和浮游植物消耗的影响,呈现夏、秋高,而冬、春低的特点。营养盐浓度和结构分析表明,胶州湾存在PO4和SiO3的绝对和相对限制;SiO3限制尤其严重,是控制胶州湾浮游植物生长的主要环境因子。SiO3和PO4的限制主要表现在冬季,几乎遍布整个海湾;夏季降水可有效缓解海域的SiO3限制。叶绿素a浓度呈现春、夏季高,秋、冬季低的季节分布,温度、营养盐浓度与结构和季节性贝类养殖活动是控制胶州湾叶绿素a浓度时空分布的关键因素。     

黄河三角洲滨海湿地沉积环境演化与碳的累积

2007年在黄河三角洲布设一口23.7 m深的浅钻(ZK5),对ZK5进行沉积学观测及原位密度、总碳、有机碳、Al和营养元素实验室测试分析,对ZK5的沉积物性质、有孔虫种类和地层等进行分析,将ZK5自上而下划分为7个沉积环境,揭示了滨海湿地地质演化过程。利用AMS14C测年方法,结合黄河改道的历史,运用历史地理学和沉积地质学综合分析的方法对7个沉积地层进行了年代确定。利用所确定的年代计算了不同沉积环境总碳(TC)和有机碳(Corg)的加积速率。结果表明:TC和Corg与各营养元素及沉积物的沉积速率呈很好的线性相关,沉积物的沉积速率是Corg和TC加积速率的主控因素。还进一步指出,虽然现代黄河三角洲TC、Corg浓度相对较低(质量比分别为9~20 mg/g,1~4 mg/g),但由于其高沉积速率(最高可达60 cm/a),Corg的加积速率高于世界其他高Corg浓度的湿地,特别是浅海湿地(如三角洲前缘),其Corg加积速率可高达2 102 g/(m2·a)。由此,可以断言现代黄河三角洲是很好的碳汇地质体。     

长江口营养盐结构特征及其对浮游植物的限制

根据2013年5月、11月两个航次的调查资料,分析了长江口营养盐浓度及其结构的分布变化,并探讨了营养盐对浮游植物的限制情况。长江口营养盐分布存在季节差异:口门外NO3-N、NO2-N浓度均为春季高秋季低,PO34-P、3SiO2-Si、NH4-N浓度则秋季高春季低,口门内除NO2-N外,NO3-N、PO34-P、SiO23-Si、NH4-N浓度均为秋季高于春季。NO3-N、PO34-P、SiO23-Si浓度从近岸向外海逐渐降低,NO2-N、NH4-N浓度分布规律不明显。NO3-N是DIN的主要存在形态,其占DIN的比例为春季95%、秋季83%。春季、秋季DIN/P均高于16,表现出长江口过量的DIN输入,春季Si/DIN基本小于1,秋季Si/DIN大于1。春季由于硅藻的局部生长使DIN/P异常升高、Si/DIN异常降低,秋季西北部海区受苏北沿岸流影响,呈低DIN/P值和高Si/DIN值分布。受含过量DIN、SiO23-Si的长江冲淡水的影响,春、秋季均表现为PO34-P潜在相对限制。春季由于浮游植物的大量吸收,局部出现PO34-P、SiO23-Si的绝对限制。当同时考虑绝对限制和潜在相对限制时,春季15.38%的站位受PO34-P限制,限制情况较上世纪90年代更为突出。     

流域-河口-近海系统氮、磷营养盐输移研究综述

综述了流域-河口-近海系统氮、磷营养盐的主要来源、营养盐输移的影响因素等方面的研究,介绍了当前营养盐输移研究的主要方法,并概括了氮、磷营养盐在流域-河口-近海系统的整体性研究。在此基础上,提出了该领域研究存在的主要问题及未来展望,强调了将流域、河口与近海系统作为一个整体,并充分发挥分布式模型的优势开展营养盐输移研究的重要性。     

Temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of nutrients in Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone in the Pacific in 2017

This research investigated eight stations in Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone(CCFZ) in the eastern tropical Pacific in 2017 to study the spatial distribution characteristics of nutrients and chlorophyll a(Chl a) concentration,and compared nutrient concentrations and molar ratios with those of other investigations 20 years ago in the same area. The study found that dissolved inorganic nutrient(N, P and Si) concentrations were lowest in the upper layer, and increased from surface to some depths, t...     

Species richness,diversity and density of understory vegetation along disturbance gradients in the Himalayan conifer forest

We investigated whether species richness, diversity and density of understory herbaceous plants differed along logging(gap) and grazing(primarily by cattle) disturbance gradients, and sought to identify drivers of richness, diversity and density of understory vegetation of logged sites. A factorial experiment was conducted in the mixed conifer forest of Gidakom in Western Bhutan. Levels of the logging treatment included small(0.15 – 0.24 ha), medium(0.25 – 0.35 ha) and large(0.36 – 1.31 ha) gaps. The grazing treatment included grazed(primarily by cattle) and ungrazed(where herbivores were excluded by a fence) plots nested within each gap. Data were collected from 12 gaps(4 replicates at each level of logging) using the point intercept method. Shannon Weaver Diversity and Margalef's indices were used to estimate species diversity and describe species richness, respectively. Soil samples were analyzed for pH and nutrients. The interaction effect of logging and grazing was significant(p≤0.001) only on species diversity. Relative to ungrazed areas, species diversity was significantly higher(0.01≤p≤0.05) in medium grazed gaps. Under grazed conditions, soil P was negatively correlated with gap size and species diversity. While species diversity was positivelycorrelated(0.01≤p≤0.05) with soil N in grazed plots species richness was positively correlated(0.001≤p≤0.01) with soil N in ungrazed plots. Relative density of Yushania microphylla and Carex nubigena were higher under ungrazed conditions. Our study suggests that the combined effect of cattle grazing and logging results in higher species diversity of understory vegetation in medium and grazed gaps in mixed conifer forests of Bhutan,whereas increase or decrease in relative density of major species is determined primarily by the independent effects of grazing and logging. From management perspective, forest managers must refrain from creating large gaps to avoid loss of nutrients(mainly P and N), which may eventually affect tree regeneration. Managers intending to maintain understory vegetation diversity must consider the combined effects of grazing and logging, ensuring low to moderate grazing pressure.