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Zill J, Perujo N, Fink P, Mallast U, Siebert C, Weitere M. Contribution of groundwater-borne nutrients to eutrophication potential and the share of benthic algae in a large lowland river. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 951:175617. [PMID: 39159693 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Groundwater inflow can be a significant source of nutrients for riverine ecosystems, which can affect eutrophication i.e., the elevated primary production and the corresponding accumulation of algal biomass. Experimental and modelling work has shown that benthic algae (autotrophic biofilms) in particular benefit, as they have direct access to the inflowing groundwater-borne nutrients. Primarily the supply of phosphorus (P) enhances pelagic algal biomass, as it is the limiting nutrient for primary production in most freshwater systems. In this study, we estimate the effect of groundwater inflow on overall eutrophication of a large, European lowland river and tested its seasonal effect on biofilms in particular. We calculated the effects on overall eutrophication during summer according to the estimated input of groundwater-borne P and the C:P stoichiometry of planktonic algae in the Elbe River. Our model indicated that these diffuse P inputs have the potential to significantly increase eutrophication. Groundwater-P can contribute up to 1.5 t/d PO4 over the investigated 450 km stretch of the Elbe River under low flow conditions. This would result in an additional planktonic load of about 46 t/d of particulate organic carbon, thereby contributing to eutrophication at the regional scale in this river. In contrast, at the local scale, biofilms were collected seasonally from artificial substrata exposed in the river either in hydrogeologically active areas with groundwater inflow, or in areas of varying hydraulic connectivity. Analyses of biofilm macronutrients, structural components and biofilm community composition show distinct effects of season, hydrogeology and groundwater inflow. The dominant predictors were season and the interaction between hydrogeology and groundwater. Benthic eutrophication is most likely to occur in autumn in areas of loose rock with high groundwater inflow. The strong interaction of environmental factors in determining benthic eutrophication highlights the need to assess these factors in combination rather than in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Zill
- Dept. Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany; Dept. River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg 39114, Germany.
| | - Nuria Perujo
- Dept. River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg 39114, Germany
| | - Patrick Fink
- Dept. River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg 39114, Germany; Dept. Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg 39114, Germany
| | - Ulf Mallast
- Dept. Monitoring- and Exploration Technologies, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig 04318, Germany
| | - Christian Siebert
- Dept. Catchment Hydrology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle (Saale) 06120, Germany
| | - Markus Weitere
- Dept. River Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg 39114, Germany
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Kulaš A, Žutinić P, Gulin Beljak V, Kepčija RM, Perić MS, Orlić S, Petrić IS, Marković T, Gligora Udovič M. Diversity of protist genera in periphyton of tufa-depositing karstic river. ANN MICROBIOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1186/s13213-023-01712-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose
In aquatic ecosystems, protists play a crucial role and cover numerous ecological functions. The karstic Krka River (Croatia) is a unique hotspot for high diversity of aquatic organisms, especially protists. The main objective of the present study was to obtain a detailed overview of the protist community structure in the periphyton of the Krka River and to determine the differences in protist diversity along the river.
Methods
Protist diversity was detected by amplicon sequencing of the hypervariable region V9 of the 18S rRNA gene, using the universal eukaryotic primer pair.
Results
The three main groups of protists were as follows: Ciliophora, Cercozoa, and Bacillariophyta. In terms of abundance of protist OTUs, the shade plot revealed an evident difference from the upstream to downstream river section, which increased between locations from Krka spring to Skradinski buk. Diversity was explored using measures of alpha and beta diversity. Alpha diversity showed an increasing trend in the downstream direction of the river. The location effect, or clustering/grouping of samples by location, was confirmed by the PERMANOVA permutation test of beta diversity.
Conclusion
The combination of alpha and beta diversity can help provide deeper insight into the study of diversity patterns, but also point out to decline in species diversity and allow for effective ways to protect aquatic karst habitats in future management.
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Structural Characteristics of Periphytic Algal Community and Its Relationship with Environmental Factors in the Taiyuan Region of the Fenhe River. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14142151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In order to explore the characteristics of the periphytic algae community structure and its relationship with environmental factors in the Taiyuan region of the Fenhe River, a total of six sampling sites were investigated in July and December 2021. The effects of water quality status and environmental factors at each sampling point on the community structure of epiphytes were detected. The results showed that a total of 7 phyla and 54 genera of periphytic algae were identified in the Taiyuan region of the Fenhe River, and the species composition was mainly Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, and Chlorophyta. According to the analysis results of the biodiversity index, the water body of the Taiyuan region of the Fenhe River is in a state of moderate pollution. The correlation analysis between the epiphytic algae and environmental factors showed that the cell density of algae was significantly correlated with dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate (PO43−-P), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorus (TP), and transparency (SD) in the wet season. The algal cell density in the dry season was significantly correlated with water temperature (WT), TP, PO43−-P, and COD. According to the redundancy analysis, the community distribution of the epiphytic algae in the Taiyuan region of the Fenhe River was closely related to physical and chemical factors such as COD, nitrate nitrogen (NO−3 -N), WT, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), and TP, and COD is the main environmental factor driving the change in the community distribution of the periphytic algae in the wet season. TN is the main control factor driving the change in the biological community distribution of periphytic algae in the dry season.
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Yang S, Bertuzzo E, Büttner O, Borchardt D, Rao PSC. Emergent spatial patterns of competing benthic and pelagic algae in a river network: A parsimonious basin-scale modeling analysis. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 193:116887. [PMID: 33582496 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.116887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Algae, as primary producers in riverine ecosystems, are found in two distinct habitats: benthic and pelagic algae typically prevalent in shallow/small and deep/large streams, respectively. Over an entire river continuum, spatiotemporal patterns of the two algal communities reflect specificity in habitat preference determined by geomorphic structure, hydroclimatic controls, and spatiotemporal heterogeneity in nutrient loads from point- and diffuse-sources. By representing these complex interactions between geomorphic, hydrologic, geochemical, and ecological processes, we present here a new river-network-scale dynamic model (CnANDY) for pelagic (A) and benthic (B) algae competing for energy and one limiting nutrient (phosphorus, P). We used the urbanized Weser River Basin in Germany (7th-order; ~8.4 million population; ~46 K km2) as a case study and analyzed simulations for equilibrium mass and concentrations under steady median river discharge. We also examined P, A, and B spatial patterns in four sub-basins. We found an emerging pattern characterized by scaling of P and A concentrations over stream-order ω, whereas B concentration was described by three distinct phases. Furthermore, an abrupt algal regime shift occurred in intermediate streams from B dominance in ω≤3 to exclusive A presence in ω≥6. Modeled and long-term basin-scale monitored dissolved P concentrations matched well for ω>4, and with overlapping ranges in ω<3. Power-spectral analyses for the equilibrium P, A, and B mass distributions along hydrological flow paths showed stronger clustering compared to geomorphological attributes, and longer spatial autocorrelation distance for A compared to B. We discuss the implications of our findings for advancing hydro-ecological concepts, guiding monitoring, informing management of water quality, restoring aquatic habitat, and extending CnANDY model to other river basins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soohyun Yang
- Department of Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany; Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Enrico Bertuzzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 30172 Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Olaf Büttner
- Department of Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Dietrich Borchardt
- Department of Aquatic Ecosystem Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - P Suresh C Rao
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Agronomy Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Kruse GO, Shafii B, Hoyle GM, Holderman C, Anders PJ. Changes in Primary Producer and Consumer Communities in Response to Upstream Nutrient Addition in the Kootenai River, Idaho. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.3955/046.093.0306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen O. Kruse
- Free Run Aquatic Research, 214 E. Hayden Avenue, Hayden, Idaho 83835
| | - Bahman Shafii
- Emeritus Professor of Statistics, University of Idaho, 220 Lindeblad Lane, Liberty Lake, Washington 99019
| | - Genevieve M. Hoyle
- Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Fish and Wildlife Department, PO Box 1269, Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805
| | - Charlie Holderman
- Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Fish and Wildlife Department, PO Box 1269, Bonners Ferry, Idaho 83805
| | - Paul J. Anders
- Cramer Fish Sciences, 121 S. Jackson Street, Moscow, Idaho 83844
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Yang S, Büttner O, Kumar R, Jäger C, Jawitz JW, Rao PSC, Borchardt D. Spatial patterns of water quality impairments from point source nutrient loads in Germany's largest national River Basin (Weser River). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 697:134145. [PMID: 32380617 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.134145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We employed the well-established Horton-Strahler, hierarchical, stream-order (ω) scheme to investigate scaling of nutrient loads (P and N) from ~845 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) distributed along the river network in urbanized Weser River, the largest national basin in Germany (~46K km2; ~8.4 million population). We estimated hydrologic and water quality impacts at the reach- and basin-scales, at two steady river discharge conditions (median flow, QR50; low-flow, QR90). Of the five WWTPs class-sizes (1 ≤ k ≤ 5), ~68% discharge to small low-order streams (ω < 3). We found large variations in capacity to dilute WWTP nutrient loads because of variability in (1) treated wastewater discharge (QU) within and among different class-sizes, and (2) river discharge (QR) within low-order streams (ω < 3) resulting from differences in drainage areas. For QR50, reach-scale water quality impairment assessed by nutrient concentration was likely at 136 (~16%) locations for P and 15 locations (~2%) for N. About 90% of these locations were lower-order streams (ω < 3). At QR50 and only with dilution, basin-scale cumulative nutrient loads from multiple upstream WWTPs increase impaired locations to 266 (~32% of total) for P. Considering in-stream uptake decreased P-impaired streams to 225 (~27%), suggesting the dominant role of dilution in the Weser River basin. Role of in-stream uptake diminished along the flow paths, while dilution in larger streams (4 ≤ ω ≤ 7) minimizes the impact of WWTP loads. Under QR90 conditions [(QR50/QR90) ~ 2.5], water quality impaired locations will likely double for the basin-scale analyses. Long-term water quality data suggested that diffuse sources are the primary contributors for water quality impairments in large streams. Our data-modeling synthesis approach is transferable to other urbanized river basins and extends understanding of point source impacts on water quality across spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soohyun Yang
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Olaf Büttner
- Department Aquatic Ecosystems Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Rohini Kumar
- Department Computational Hydrosystems, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Jäger
- Department Aquatic Ecosystems Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany; Centre for Research and Development, Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences, Rosenheim, Germany
| | - James W Jawitz
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - P S C Rao
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Agronomy Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
| | - Dietrich Borchardt
- Department Aquatic Ecosystems Analysis and Management, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Magdeburg, Germany
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Wang J, Liu Q, Zhao X, Borthwick AGL, Liu Y, Chen Q, Ni J. Molecular biogeography of planktonic and benthic diatoms in the Yangtze River. MICROBIOME 2019; 7:153. [PMID: 31806016 PMCID: PMC6896584 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-019-0771-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Diatoms are of great significance to primary productivity in oceans, yet little is known about their biogeographic distribution in oligotrophic rivers. RESULTS With the help of metabarcoding analysis of 279 samples from the Yangtze River, we provided the first integral biogeographic pattern of planktonic and benthic diatoms over a 6030 km continuum along the world's third largest river. Our study revealed spatial dissimilarity of diatoms under varying landforms, including plateau, mountain, foothill, basin, foothill-mountain, and plain regions, from the river source to the estuary. Environmental drivers of diatom communities were interpreted in terms of photosynthetically active radiation, temperature, channel slope and nutrients, and human interference. Typical benthic diatoms, such as Pinnularia, Paralia, and Aulacoseira, experienced considerable reduction in relative abundance downstream of the Three Gorges Dam and the Xiluodu Dam, two of the world's largest dams. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed that benthic diatoms are of particular significance in characterizing motile guild in riverine environments, which provides insights into diatom biogeography and biogeochemical cycles in large river ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Wang
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qingxiang Liu
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Xianfu Zhao
- Institute of Hydroecology, Ministry of Water Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Alistair G L Borthwick
- Institute of Infrastructure and Environment, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JL, UK
| | - Yuxin Liu
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Qian Chen
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016, China
| | - Jinren Ni
- Beijing Innovation Center for Engineering Science and Advanced Technology, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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