Spatiotemporal variability of algae in monitoring aquatic environment in the Panjiakou Reservoir (Northern China)

The spatial and temporal variations of algae within a large drinking water reservoir with mesotrophy (Panjiakou Reservoir, Northern China) were investigated in relation to variations in environmental factors over a 6-month period (May to October) in 2013 and 2014. The analysis based on in-situ samples upstream to downstream (Puhekou, Jiajia’an, Yanziyu Panjiakou and Baqian) showed that three harmful algae species of Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta prevail in the reservoir. The variations in algal concentrations presented a seasonal cycle with high values in the flood season and low values in the drought season and a spatial concentration in main water storage area of the reservoir. Compared with the environmental factors of pH value, permanganate index, ammonia nitrogen and total nitrogen, water temperature, dissolved oxygen content and total phosphorus were significant related to algae concentrations with correlation coefficients of 0.76, 0.62 and 0.85, respectively. The impact analysis of three factors on prevailing algae species indicated that Chlorophyta was the main contributor to the algal photosynthesis of the Panjiakou Reservoir. An extremely high value of algal concentrations with little variety in August 2013 revealed that pollution carried by tremendous runoff may induce algae blooms later.