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Liu G, Qi X, Lin Z, Lv Y, Khan S, Qu X, Jin B, Wu M, Oduro C, Wu N. Comparison of different macroinvertebrates bioassessment indices in a large near-natural watershed under the context of metacommunity theory. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10896. [PMID: 38322009 PMCID: PMC10844709 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
The metacommunity theory proposes that community structure and biodiversity are influenced by both local processes (such as environmental filtering) and regional processes (such as dispersal). Despite the extensive use of traditional bioassessments based on species-environment relationships, the impact of dispersal processes on these assessments has been largely overlooked. This study aims to compare correlations between various bioassessment indices, including Shannon Weiner (H'), Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP), average score per taxon (ASPT), biotic index (BI), and EPT taxa index (EPT), based on macroinvertebrates collected from 147 sampling sites in a subtropical Chinese near-natural catchment. Modified indices were calculated by removing species strongly influenced by dispersal processes to address the influence of dispersal processes. Their relationship with environmental factors was then compared to the original indices. The study employed random forest regression (RFR) to compare the explanatory power of environmental factors using the two sets of indices. The spearman rank correlation analysis was conducted to examine the correlation between indices and environmental factors. The river health assessment was performed based on both modified and original indices. The results reveal significant differences between original and modified indices (especially H' and BI) providing a more accurate reflection of environmental conditions. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the different indices to various environmental factors varied, leading to differences in the bioassessment results between the modified and the original indices. Notably, original H', BMWP, and ASPT overestimated the bioassessment results, whereas the original BI underestimated them. These findings offer valuable insights into bioassessment and river health assessment evaluation within the catchment and other interconnected freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands. Our study underscores the importance of assessing and mitigating the impact of dispersal processes on bioassessment to obtain a more precise representation of the status of freshwater ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohao Liu
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
| | - Xinxin Qi
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
| | - Zongwei Lin
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
| | - Yuanyuan Lv
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
| | - Sangar Khan
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
| | - Xiaodong Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River BasinChina Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower ResearchBeijingChina
| | - Binsong Jin
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesHangzhou Normal UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Ming Wu
- Wetland Ecosystem Research Station of Hangzhou Bay, Research Institute of Subtropical ForestryChinese Academy of ForestryHangzhouChina
| | - Collins Oduro
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
| | - Naicheng Wu
- Department of Geography and Spatial Information TechniquesNingbo UniversityNingboChina
- Zhejiang Collaborative Innovation Center & Ningbo Universities Collaborative Innovation Center for Land and Marine Spatial Utilization and Governance ResearchNingbo UniversityNingboChina
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Liu X, Wang Y, Meng X, Zhang C, Chen Z. Improved method for benthic ecosystem health assessment by integrating chemical indexes into multiple biological indicator species-A case study of the Baiyangdian Lake, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 335:117530. [PMID: 36863150 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117530] [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: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A comprehensive and scientific assessment of benthic ecosystem health is key to the rational selection of endogenous pollution reduction technologies for lakes. However, current assessments are mainly limited to biological indicators and ignore the actual benthic ecosystem situations, such as the impact of eutrophication and heavy metal pollution, which may lead to the one-sidedness of the evaluation results. In this study, taking Baiyangdian Lake, the largest shallow mesotrophic-eutrophic lake in the North China Plain, as an example, the chemical assessment index and biological integrity index were first combined to estimate the biological conditions, nutritional status and heavy metal pollution of lakes. The indicator system incorporated three biological assessments (benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI), submerged aquatic vegetation index of biological integrity (SAV-IBI) and microbial index of biological integrity (M-IBI)) and three chemical assessments (dissolved oxygen (DO), comprehensive trophic level index (TLI) and index of geoaccumulation (Igeo)). Twenty-three attributes of B-IBI, fourteen attributes of SAV-IBI and twelve attributes of M-IBI were screened by range, responsiveness, and redundancy tests to keep the core metrics that were significantly correlated with disturbance gradients or showed strong discriminatory power between reference and impaired sites. The assessment results of B-IBI, SAV-IBI, and M-IBI showed significant differences in the response to anthropogenic activities and seasonal change, among which the submerged plants showed more significant seasonal differences. It is difficult to reach a comprehensive conclusion regarding the benthic ecosystem health status based on a single biological community. In comparison with biological indicators, the score of chemical indicators is relatively low. DO, TLI and Igeo provide an essential supplement for the benthic ecosystem health assessment of lakes with eutrophication and heavy metal pollution problems. Using the new integrated assessment method, the benthic ecosystem health of Baiyangdian Lake was rated as fair, especially the northern parts of the lake adjacent to the inflow mouth of the Fu River, which were in poor condition, indicating that the lake has experienced anthropogenic disturbance, resulting in eutrophication, heavy metal pollution and biological community degradation. Whether it's spring or summer, the integrated assessment method provides a more plausible and comprehensive view of benthic ecosystem health under the pressure of increasing human activities and changing habitat and hydrological conditions, overcoming the narrow perspective and uncertainties of the single-index method. Thus, it can assist lake managers in providing technical support for ecological indication and restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianjing Liu
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ying Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Xiangyu Meng
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Chuanyi Zhang
- School of Environment and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zehao Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
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Li Y, Li X, Liu Q, Xu Z, Wang M. Community characteristics of macroinvertebrates and ecosystem health assessment in Qin River, a main tributary of the Yellow River in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:56410-56424. [PMID: 36914930 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-26314-9] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
To know well the ecosystem health status of Qin River, a main tributary of the Yellow River and the largest river in Jincheng region, macroinvertebrates from 49 sampling sites in the Qin River and its largest tributary, the Dan River, were investigated, and community characteristics were analyzed in the autumn of 2020; a Benthic index of Biotic Integrity (B-IBI) was established based on four metrics by a series of steps. The results showed that a total of 38 species of macroinvertebrates were collected and identified, belonging to 6 orders and 19 families, consisting of 17 Insecta species, 13 Gastropoda species, and 4 Oligochaeta species. Four species in Insecta belonged to EPT (E, Ephemeroptera; P, Plecoptera; T, Trichoptera); 10 species in Insecta belonged to Chironomidae and Tipulidae families. All species in Gastropoda belonged to Basematophora order, and, especially, Bellamya aeruginosa is highly tolerant to nutrients. All species in Oligochaetes belonged to Tubificidae family, which indicates eutrophication and low-dissolved oxygen. The dominant species in the study were Ephemera orientalis, Chironomus riparius Meigen, and Limnodrilus claparedianus. The final B-IBI scores varied from 0.75 to 3.75, with 5 sites in "excellent," 10 sites in "good," 10 sites in "normal" status, 12 sites in "poor" status, 12 sites in "very poor." "Very poor" and "poor" sites were mainly located in the middle reach of the Qin River and upper-middle reach of the Dan River in Jincheng region. B-IBI strongly differentiated the reference sites and impaired sites, suggesting the suitability of the B-IBI in the Qin River basin. Significantly negative correlations between NH4+-N, TN, and B-IBI indicated the B-IBI characterized well the influence of nitrogen pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Hydrological Cycle and Sponge City Technology, Beijing, 100875, China
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, China
| | - Xue Li
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, China
| | - Qingwei Liu
- Jiaozuo Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Henan Province, Jiaozuo, 454000, China
| | - Zongxue Xu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Hydrological Cycle and Sponge City Technology, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Mingshi Wang
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, China
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Li Y, Li L. Development and validation of the planktonic index of biotic integrity (P-IBI) for Qin River, a main tributary of the Yellow River in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:2622-2636. [PMID: 35932347 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22348-7] [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: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To evaluate the ecosystem health of Qin River, a main tributary of the Yellow River, a planktonic index of biotic integrity (P-IBI) that includes phytoplankton and zooplankton was established based on five metrics using a dataset covering 61 sampling sites in Qin River and its largest tributary the Dan River from October to November 2020. First, an index based on land use pattern and water quality was constructed to select reference sites and impaired sites. Then, five of an initial 38 candidate metrics (phytoplankton density, Palmer algal genus pollution index, zooplankton biomass/phytoplankton biomass, zooplankton Margalef richness index, and zooplankton Simpson diversity index) were selected to establish P-IBI based on their ranges, sensitivity, and redundancy. Finally, five statuses (excellent, good, fair, poor, and very poor) were classified by ratio score method on the basis of their final P-IBI scores. Sites with "excellent and good" and "poor and very poor" status accounted for 26.2% and 49.2%, respectively. "Very poor" sites were mainly located in the Dan River, and "poor" sites were mainly located in the middle reach of the Qin River and upper-middle reach of the Dan River in Jincheng region. Significantly negative correlations between Cl-, SO42-, and F- concentrations and P-IBI values indicated that the P-IBI might reflect domestic and industrial wastewater pollution in the Qin and Dan River in Jincheng region. The P-IBI strongly differentiated reference and impaired sites, suggesting the suitability of the index in the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Li
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, China.
| | - Linxia Li
- Institute of Resources and Environment, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454000, China
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5
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Multidimensional ecosystem assessment of Poyang Lake under anthropogenic influences. Ecol Modell 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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6
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Xu X, Pan B, Shu F, Chen X, Xu N, Ni J. Bioaccumulation of 35 metal(loid)s in organs of a freshwater mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii) and environmental implications in Poyang Lake, China. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 307:136150. [PMID: 36028131 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Benthic bioaccumulation of hazardous materials has been a great challenge to the health of lake ecosystems. As representative benthic macroinvertebrates, freshwater mussels and their accumulation characteristics have been regarded as effective indicators for assessing potential risks induced by sedimentary metal(loid)s in lakes. Here we profile organ-specific accumulation of 35 metal(loid)s in a freshwater mussel (Hyriopsis cumingii) and their correlations to metal speciation in sediments of Poyang Lake, the largest lake of China. Significant organ-specific characteristics of metal accumulation were found in gills, though higher thallium (Tl) and selenium (Se) were found in the hepatopancreas, and greater arsenic (As) mostly accumulated in gonads. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the bioaccumulation of silver (Ag), cobalt (Co), and rare earth elements (ΣREE) in gills and As in gonads were closely associated with those in bioavailable fraction of sediments. Based on the biochemical analysis in the major organs, gills exhibited the highest enzymatic activity compared with hepatopancreas and gonads. Sedimentary metals, particularly for available Ag, Co, and ΣREE, play key roles in causing lipid peroxidation in gills and significantly promote the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD)/glutathione reductase (GR), while many metals (e.g., cadmium, manganese, Se) inhibit the glutathione (GSH) content in gonads and hepatopancreas. Our study indicates a high physiological sensitivity of mussels to these target metals, which highlights the significance of organ-specific accumulation of metal(loid)s in understanding the potential ecological risks of sedimentary metal(loid)s in lake ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuming Xu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Peking University, The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Baozhu Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an, 710048, China
| | - Fengyue Shu
- College of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, China
| | - Xiufen Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Nan Xu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Heavy Metal Pollution Control and Reutilization, School of Environment and Energy, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jinren Ni
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Peking University, The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100871, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of All Material Fluxes in River Ecosystems, Beijing, 100871, China; State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining, 810016, China.
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7
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Zhang J, Ma J, Zhang Z, He B, Zhang Y, Su L, Wang B, Shao J, Tai Y, Zhang X, Huang H, Yang Y, Dai Y. Initial ecological restoration assessment of an urban river in the subtropical region in China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156156. [PMID: 35609701 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156156] [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: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rivers in urbanised cities are often polluted, black, and odorous, with poor water quality and deteriorated ecology. Despite many river restoration studies, assessments of ecological responses to river restoration practices remain scant. Benthic animals are useful biological indicators showing the change and succession of river ecosystems; however, previous studies have mainly focussed on a few target species without considering overall ecosystem integrity. Here, we used a multi-index biological assessment method, benthic index of biological integrity (B-IBI) to assess ecological responses to river restoration of the Shahe River in subtropical region of China. Spatiotemporal changes in the macrobenthos community structure after restoration were monitored to explore species succession. We found that the number of macrobenthos species increased from 16 to 42, with the emergence of some pollution-sensitive species during the restoration period. Molluscs showed widespread recovery, and their relative proportions almost doubled from 12.5% to 24.4%. Oligochaetes and chironomids were the pioneer species in the recovering communities, while gastropod molluscs and pollution-sensitive aquatic insects were transitional species that first settled during the initial recovery period. Based on our survey data, 25 candidate metrics were selected, and five core metrics (total taxa, Simpson diversity index, percentage of crustaceans and molluscs, percentage of predators, and percentage of collector-gatherers) were identified after screening to establish the B-IBI. Our analysis revealed a distinct improvement in the overall health of the river, with the proportions of "excellent" and "good" sites increasing from zero to 28.6% and from 14.3% to 42.9%, respectively. A correlation analysis indicated that water flow, molluscs, and total phosphorus content were the three drivers of ecological recovery in the Shahe River. Overall, our study demonstrates the importance of governance and restoration of rivers in tropical and subtropical cities, and provides valuable evidence that can guide the design and evaluation of river restoration works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhua Zhang
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jiajia Ma
- Guangzhou Water Planning Survey and Design Co. Ltd, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Zehong Zhang
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Baidong He
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Linhui Su
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Baohua Wang
- Guangzhou Water Planning Survey and Design Co. Ltd, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Jinzhuo Shao
- Guangzhou Water Planning Survey and Design Co. Ltd, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yiping Tai
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhang
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hong Huang
- Guangzhou Water Association, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Yunv Dai
- Research Center of Hydrobiology, Department of Ecology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Research Center of Tropical and Subtropical Aquatic Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
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Niu L, Zou G, Guo Y, Li Y, Wang C, Hu Q, Zhang W, Wang L. Eutrophication dangers the ecological status of coastal wetlands: A quantitative assessment by composite microbial index of biotic integrity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151620. [PMID: 34780838 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The intertidal wetland ecosystem is vulnerable to environmental and anthropogenic stressors. Understanding how the ecological statuses of intertidal wetlands respond to influencing factors is crucial for the management and protection of intertidal wetland ecosystems. In this study, the community characteristics of bacteria, archaea and microeukaryote from Jiangsu coast areas (JCA), the longest muddy intertidal wetlands in the world, were detected to develop a composite microbial index of biotic integrity (CM-IBI) and to explore the influence mechanisms of stresses on the intertidal wetland ecological status. A total of 12 bacterial, archaea and microeukaryotic metrics were determined by range, responsiveness and redundancy tests for the development of ba-IBI, ar-IBI and eu-IBI. The CM-IBI was further developed via three sub-IBIs with weight coefficients 0.40, 0.33 and 0.27, respectively. The CM-IBI (R2 = 0.58) exhibited the highest goodness of fit with the CEI, followed by ba-IBI (R2 = 0.36), ar-IBI (R2 = 0.25) and eu-IBI (R2 = 0.21). Redundancy and random forest analyses revealed inorganic nitrogen (inorgN), total phosphorus (TP) and total organic carbon (TOC) to be key environmental variables influencing community compositions. A conditional reasoning tree model indicated the close associating between the ecological status and eutrophication conditions. The majority of sites with water inorgN<0.67 mg/L exhibited good statuses, while the poor ecological status was observed for inorgN>0.67 mg/L and TP > 0.11 mg/L. Microbial networks demonstrated the interactions of microbial taxonomic units among three kingdoms decreases with the ecological degradation, suggesting a reduced reliability and stability of microbial communities. Multi-level path analysis revealed fishery aquaculture and industrial development as the dominant anthropogenic activities effecting the eutrophication and ecological degradation of the JCA tidal wetlands. This study developed an efficient ecological assessment method of tidal wetlands based on microbial communities, and determined the influence of human activities and eutrophication on ecological status, providing guidance for management standards and coastal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Niu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Guanhua Zou
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Yuntong Guo
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Yi Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China.
| | - Chao Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
| | - Qing Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Wenlong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Linqiong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
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9
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Development of a Landscape-Based Multi-Metric Index to Assess Wetland Health of the Poyang Lake. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14051082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced changes in landscapes are one of the major drivers of wetland loss and degradation. The Poyang Lake wetland in China has been experiencing severe degradation due to human disturbance and landscape modification. Indicators to assess the condition of this wetland are thus needed urgently. Here, a landscape-based multi-metric index (LMI) is developed to evaluate the condition of the Poyang Lake wetland. Twenty-three candidate metrics that have been applied to wetland health assessment in published studies were tested. Metrics that show strong discriminative power to identify reference and impaired sites, having significant correlations with either benthic macroinvertebrate- or vegetation-based indices of biotic integrity (B-IBI or V-IBI), were chosen to form the LMI index. Five of these metrics (largest patch index, modified normalized differential built-up index, Shannon’s diversity index, connectance index, and cultivated land stress index) were selected as our LMI metrics. A 2 km buffer zone around sample sites had the strongest explanatory power of any spatial scale on IBIs, suggesting that protecting landscapes at local scales is essential for wetland conservation. The LMI scores ranged between 1.05 and 5.00, with a mean of 3.25, suggesting that the condition of the Poyang Lake wetland is currently in the “fair” category. The areas along lakeshores were mainly in poor or very poor conditions, while the less accessible inner areas were in better conditions. This study demonstrates significant links between landscape characteristics and wetland biotic integrity, which validates the utility of satellite imagery-derived data in assessing wetland health. The LMI method developed in this study can be used by land managers to quickly assess broad regions of the Poyang Lake wetland.
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Zhang Z, Liu Y, Li Y, Wang X, Li H, Yang H, Ding W, Liao Y, Tang N, He F. Lake ecosystem health assessment using a novel hybrid decision-making framework in the Nam Co, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:152087. [PMID: 34856268 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Lake health assessment (LHA), a powerful tool for lake ecological protection, provides the foundation for sustainable water environment management. However, existing methods have not yet considered the effects of fuzziness and randomness on LHA. In addition, most of the current studies on LHA focus on the plain areas, lack of quantitative studies in mountain areas, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Pythagorean fuzzy cloud (PFC) integration algorithm drawing on the advantages of Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFS) and cloud model was proposed. A novel hybrid decision-making framework combining PFC integration algorithm and TOPSIS model was developed to determine the lake health levels with fuzziness and randomness. An indicator system incorporating ecosystem integrity (physical habitat, water quantity and quality, aquatic life) and non-ecological performance (social services) was established. To comprehensively investigate the lake health level in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Nam Co was selected as study area. Our results confirm that the developed framework in this study can overcome the shortcomings of existing methods and provide a more effective approach for LHA with fuzziness and randomness. In Nam Co, the non-ecological performance was significantly better than the ecosystem integrity. Health levels exhibited a remarkable spatial variation influenced by tourism and grazing, with decreasing health status from the northwestern to southeastern Nam Co. Approximately 85% of the sampling sites were at excellent or healthy levels, 15% were subhealthy, and no sampling sites were unhealthy and sick. Our results highlight that tourism has affected health levels at Nam Co, and effective measures are needed to minimize the impact in ecological fragile areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengxian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Yi Liu
- School of Geography and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Xiaogang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hongze Li
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hong Yang
- Departmnent of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AB, UK.
| | - Wenhao Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yipeng Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Nanbo Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Feifei He
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, China
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Assessment of Aquatic Ecosystem Health with Indices of Biotic Integrity (IBIs) in the Ganjiang River System, China. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14030278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Indices of biotic integrity (IBIs) are widely used to assess aquatic ecosystem health. However, there are few studies on their relationships. Based on fish, macroinvertebrate and plankton survey data collected in the Ganjiang River system from 2016 to 2017, redundancy analysis (RDA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to analyze how the community structures of these organisms respond to environmental variables. The fish IBI (F-IBI), benthic macroinvertebrate IBI (B-IBI), and phytoplankton IBI (P-IBI) were applied to evaluate the health status of the aquatic ecosystem. A Kruskal–Wallis test (p < 0.05) and Spearman’s correlation coefficient analysis were performed to evaluate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the results. Our results suggested that the F-IBI-, B-IBI-, and P-IBI-based assessments indicated good, fair, and healthy Ganjiang River system ecosystem health statuses, respectively, and significant differences existed among these indices (p < 0.05). The main environmental factors affecting F-IBI, B-IBI, and P-IBI were different. At the temporal scale, the F-IBI and B-IBI were stable, while the P-IBI fluctuated obviously. The consistency between the F-IBI and B-IBI results was better than that between each of these indices and the P-IBI results, and the consistency was better on a larger scale. These research results show that comprehensive assessments based on multiple groups rather than a single group can better characterize the impacts of environmental pressures on water ecosystems.
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Evaluation of the Implementation Effect of the Ecological Compensation Policy in the Poyang Lake River Basin Based on Difference-in-Difference Method. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13158667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Watershed environments play an important supporting role in sustainable high-quality economic development in China, but they have been deteriorating. In order to solve environmental problems in the Poyang Lake River Basin brought about by economic development, the Jiangxi Provincial Government promulgated relevant river basin protection policies in 2015. However, after several years of this policy, the specific effects of its implementation are a matter of general concern to the government and academic circles. After years of policy implementation, the implementation effect of the watershed ecological compensation policy needs to be evaluated. Based on 4248 observations from the Jiangxi and Hunan Provinces, we adopt the difference-in-difference method to analyze the impact of the ecological compensation policy on the Poyang Lake River Basin. The empirical results show that the ecological compensation policy has a significant effect on water-quality improvement. Water quality in the upstream area is better than that in the downstream area; areas with small administrative areas have a smaller population, which in turn leads to better water quality in the river basin; and the higher the per capita GDP, the worse the water quality. Our results highlight the need for the following policy improvements: ecological priority, customizing measures to local conditions, tracing the main body, and strengthening supervision.
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