A niche model to predict Microcystis bloom decline in Chaohu Lake, China

Cyanobacterial blooms occur frequently in lakes due to eutrophication. Although a number of models have been proposed to forecast algal blooms, a good and applicable method is still lacking. This study explored a simple and effective mathematical-ecological model to evaluate the growth status and predict the population dynamics of Microcystis blooms. In this study, phytoplankton were collected and identified from 8 sampling sites in Chaohu Lake every month from July to October, 2010. The niche breadth and niche overlap of common species were calculated using standard equations, and the potential relative growth rates of Microcystis were calculated as a weighted-value of niche overlap. In July, the potential relative growth rate was 2.79 (a.u., arbitrary units) but then rapidly declined in the following months to -3.99 a.u. in September. A significant correlation (R=0.998, P<0.01) was found in the model between the net-increase in biomass of Microcystis in the field and the predicted values calculated by the niche model, we concluded that the niche model is suitable for forecasting the dynamics of Microcystis blooms. Redundancy analysis indicated that decreases in water temperature, dissolved oxygen and total dissolved phosphorus might be major factors underlying bloom decline. Based on the theory of community succession being caused by resource competition, the growth and decline of blooms can be predicted from a community structure. This may provide a basis for early warning and control of algal blooms.     

Managing Soil Erosion Potential by Integrating Digital Elevation Models with the Southern China＇s Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation——A Case Study for the West Lake Scenic Spots Area of Hangzhou, China

In China, many scenic and tourism areas are suffering from the urbanization that results from physical development of tourism projects, leading to the removal of the vegetative cover, the creation of areas impermeable to water, in-stream modifications, and other problems. In this paper, the risk of soil erosion and its ecological risks in the West Lake Scenic Spots （WLSS） area were quantitatively evaluated by integrating the revised universal soil loss equation （RUSLE） with a digital elevation model （DEM） and geographical information system （GIS） software. The standard RUSLE factors were modified to account for local climatic and topographic characteristics reflected in the DEM maps, and for the soil types and vegetation cover types. An interface was created between the Areinfo software and RUSLE so that the level of soil erosion and its ecological risk in the WLSS area could be mapped immediately once the model factors were defined for the area. The results from an analysis using the Areinfo-RUSLE interface showed that the risk value in 93 % of the expanding western part of the WLSS area was moderate or more severe and the soil erosion risk in this area was thus large compared with that in the rest of the area. This paper mainly aimed to increase the awareness of the soil erosion risk in urbanizing areas and suggest that the local governments should consider the probable ecological risk resulting from soil erosion when enlarging and developing tourism areas.     

Energy flow in Branchiura sowerbyi (Oligochaeta: tubificidae) in a shallow macrophyte-dominated lake, Biandantang Lake

The energy flow ofBranchiura sowerbyi was studied for the first time in China in a shallow macrophytic lake, Biandantang Lake, Hubei Province. The energy flow was calculated from the measurement of flesh production (12.5241kJ/m²a), egestion (517.7302kJ/m²a), metabolism (38.3273 kJ/m²a), and excretion (4.3798kJ/m²a). The net growth efficiency of the species is about 22.7%, which accords well with the generally reported value for oligochaetes. In addition, the relationship between starvation respiration (R, mgO₂/ind·d), wet weight (Ww, mg) and temperature (T, °C) were also measured, with the regression function beingR=0.008Ww^0.736 e^0.050T. Project supported by NSFC (30270278, 3960019), the foundation of the government of Hubei Province (No. 2000J109), and the foundation of Ecological Station, CAS in the Institute of Hydrobiology.     

Ecosystem health assessment of Honghu Lake Wetland of China using artificial neural network approach

Honghu Lake, located in the southeast of Hubei Province, China, has suffered a severe disturbance during the past few decades. To restore the ecosystem, the Honghu Lake Wetland Protection and Restoration Demonstration Project (HLWPRDP) has been implemented since 2004. A back propagation (BP) artificial neural network (ANN) approach was applied to evaluatinig the ecosystem health of the Honghu Lake wetland. And the effectiveness of the HLWPRDP was also assessed by comparing the ecosystem health before and after the project. Particularly, 12 ecosystem health indices were used as evaluation parameters to establish a set of three-layer BP ANNs. The output is one layer of ecosystem health index. After training and testing the BP ANNs, an optimal model of BP ANNs was selected to assess the ecosystem health of the Honghu Lake wetland. The result indicates that four stages can be identified based on the change of the ecosystem health from 1990 to 2008 and the ecosystem health index ranges from morbidity before the implementation of HLWPRDP (in 2002) to middle health after the implementation of the HLWPRDP (in 2005). It demonstrates that the HLWPRDP is effective and the BP ANN could be used as a tool for the assessment of ecosystem health.     

THE HYDROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND WATER BUDGET OF QINGHAI LAKE DRAINAGE BASIN

The rapid shrinkage of the surface area reflects the long-term deficit water budget of Qinghai Lake. Study of the yearly hydrology and meteorology in the lake catchment basin and the hydrologic factors as well as water budget led to the conclusion that evaporation exceeding the water input resulted in the drop of lake level, thai the obvious decrease of runoff to the lake and precipitation on the catchment accelerated the falling of lake level before 1987. and that increase of about 6.7% in rainfall on the whole basin will balance the lake's water budget.     

天目湖热力学状况的监测与分析

根据2001年6月～2002年5月在天目湖进行的每月一次的全湖水温观测以及2002年5月25～26日在1号点的定点24h连续水温观测资料,分析研究了天目湖水温时空分布、垂直分布、温跃层的形成与变化以及湖泊热力学对溶解氧、营养盐的影响,揭示了各自的基本变化规律。结果表明:天目湖水温的日变化、年变化及垂直分布明显,而其水平差异不大;温跃层随着季节的变化而呈现增强-稳定-减弱-消失的周期变化;水温的变化以及温跃层的存在引起了水中溶解氧以及营养盐的变化。     

Limnology of Opal Lake

Opal Lake, a cold, acid lake on the central volcanic plateau of the North Island, New Zealand, had an average pH of 4.3 and was highly eutrophic. The biota was less diverse than in neighbouring near‐neutral waters. Macrophytes were rare; phytoplankton were mainly represented by the Chlorophyceae, and there were only 4 zooplankton species. The mean standing crop of macroinvertebrates was 6240 per square metre; this was higher than in other eutrophic lakes in the region and comprised more than 98% chironomid larvae represented by 4 species. Molluscs were absent. The fauna was more diverse than in more acid lakes of the .central volcanic plateau.     

Comprehensive Development and Utilization of Saline Lake Groups in Dingbian,Shanxi Province of China

正The Dingbian Saline Lake groups are in Dingbian County,northwest of Shaanxi province,and located on the border area of the Loess Plateau and Maowusu Desert in Northern Shanxi.It's altitude is more than 1300m.The     

鄱阳湖流域农业生态环境变迁及其启示

为研究农业开发与生态环境的关系,总结不同历史时期鄱阳湖流域农业生态环境特征及其演变特征.其总体特征反映在森林、土地、水、生物资源和生态环境建设方面.生态环境变迁历史对该流域农业发展具有重要的启示.