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Effect of flow rate on environmental variables and phytoplankton dynamics: results from field enclosures

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Abstract

To investigate the effects of flow rate on phytoplankton dynamics and related environment variables, a set of enclosure experiments with different flow rates were conducted in an artificial lake. We monitored nutrients, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, turbidity, chlorophyll-a and phytoplankton levels. The lower biomass in all flowing enclosures showed that flow rate significantly inhibited the growth of phytoplankton. A critical flow rate occurred near 0.06 m/s, which was the lowest relative inhibitory rate. Changes in flow conditions affected algal competition for light, resulting in a dramatic shift in phytoplankton composition, from blue-green algae in still waters to green algae in flowing conditions. These findings indicate that critical flow rate can be useful in developing methods to reduce algal bloom occurrence. However, flow rate significantly enhanced the inter-relationships among environmental variables, in particular by inducing higher water turbidity and vegetative reproduction of periphyton (Spirogyra). These changes were accompanied by a decrease in underwater light intensity, which consequently inhibited the photosynthetic intensity of phytoplankton. These results warn that a universal critical flow rate might not exist, because the effect of flow rate on phytoplankton is interlinked with many other environmental variables.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China

    Haiping Zhang  (张海平), Ruihong Chen  (陈瑞弘), Feipeng Li  (李飞鹏) & Ling Chen  (陈玲)

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  1. Haiping Zhang  (张海平)
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  2. Ruihong Chen  (陈瑞弘)
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  3. Feipeng Li  (李飞鹏)
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  4. Ling Chen  (陈玲)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ling Chen  (陈玲).

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51379146, 51409190) and the National Science Foundation for Post-Doctoral Scientists of China (No. 2013M531218)

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Zhang, H., Chen, R., Li, F. et al. Effect of flow rate on environmental variables and phytoplankton dynamics: results from field enclosures. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 33, 430–438 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-015-4063-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-015-4063-4

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