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Controlling internal phosphorus loading in lakes by physical methods to reduce cyanobacterial blooms: a review

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Abstract

The aim of this paper was to summarize the current knowledge on how physical methods can reduce or control internal P release from sediments in lakes and reservoirs. Particular emphasis is given to the role of internal phosphorus load in fueling cyanobacterial blooms which are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity in response to climate change and eutrophication. We present selective case studies (both successful and unsuccessful) to assess the applicability and efficiency of major physical approaches used for decades to reduce internal loading in different systems of various morphology. In particular, we concentrate on where and when (1) hypolimnetic aeration/oxygenation, (2) hypolimnetic withdrawal and (3) sediment dredging are likely to reduce cyanobacterial blooms and whether these methods have an adverse impact on other organisms. We conclude that each method has its strength and weakness depending on the system considered. Sufficient knowledge of all lake nutrient sources and their dynamics together with detailed lake and sediment characteristics is an essential prerequisite for choosing an appropriate control method. We also report that many experiences demonstrated that a combination of restoration methods is often more successful than a single method.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Caroline Klavins for contributing to the literature search as part of her Master’s project in Hydro3 at the University of Rennes 1. This review contributes to a special issue on “Cyanobacterial blooms: ecology, prevention, mitigation and control” which has been initiated by the EU-CYANOCOST action ES1105. Part of this study was supported as a long-term research development project No. RVO 67985939 (Institute of Botany of the ASCR). We are grateful to the reviewers and the editor whose comments have contributed to significantly improve the original manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042, Rennes, France

    Myriam Bormans

  2. Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Lidická 25/27, 602 00, Brno, Czech Republic

    Blahoslav Maršálek & Daniel Jančula

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  1. Myriam Bormans
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  2. Blahoslav Maršálek
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Correspondence to Myriam Bormans.

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Guest editors: Petra M. Visser, Bas W. Ibelings, Jutta Fastner & Myriam Bormans/Cyanobacterial blooms. Ecology, prevention, mitigation and control.

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Bormans, M., Maršálek, B. & Jančula, D. Controlling internal phosphorus loading in lakes by physical methods to reduce cyanobacterial blooms: a review. Aquat Ecol 50, 407–422 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10452-015-9564-x

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