Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Remote estimation of cyanobacterial blooms using the risky grade index (RGI) and coverage area index (CAI): a case study in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms are exemplified as a major environmental concern due to producing toxin, and have generated a serious threat to public health. Knowledge on the spatial-temporal distribution of cyanobacterial blooms is therefore crucial for public health organizations and environmental agencies. In this study, field data and charge coupled device (CCD) image were collected in Lakes Gaoyang and Hanfeng of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), China. We conducted the risky grade index (RGI) and coverage area index to develop a feasible estimation framework of cyanobacterial blooms. First, the close relationships between CCD reflectance spectral indices and water quality parameters were constructed based on water optical classification. Then, a regional algorithm for the RGI classification was established by density peaks. Finally, our proposed algorithm was applied to investigate dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms in the two lakes from 6-year series of CCD images. Encouraging results demonstrated that satellite remote sensing in conjunction with field observation can aid in the estimation of cyanobacterial blooms in the TGR.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bonansea M, Rodriguez MC, Pinotti L, Ferrero S (2015) Using multi-temporal Landsat imagery and linear mixed models for assessing water quality parameters in Rio Tercero reservoir (Argentina). Remote Sens Environ 158:28–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowling LC, Merrick C, Swann J, Green D, Smith G, Neilan BA (2013) Effects of hydrology and river management on the distribution, abundance and persistence of cyanobacterial blooms in the Murray River, Australia. Harmful Algae 30:27–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bullerjahn GS, McKay RM, Davis TW, Baker DB, Boyer GL, D’Anglada LV (2016) Global solutions to regional problems: collecting global expertise to address the problem of harmful cyanobacterial blooms. A Lake Erie case study. Harmful Algae 54:223–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen J, Quan W, Wen Z, Cui T (2013) A simple “clear water” atmospheric correction algorithm for Landsat-5 sensors. I: a spectral slope based method. Int J Remote Sens 34(11):3787–3802

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chia MA, Cordeiro-Araujo MK, Lorenzi AS, Bittencourt-Oliveira MC (2016) Does anatoxin-A influence the physiology of Microcystis aeruginosa and Acutodesmus acuminatus under different light and nitrogen conditions? Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:23092–23102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chung S, Imberger J, Hipsey MR, Lee H (2014) The influence of physical and physiological processes on the spatial heterogeneity of a Microcystis bloom in a stratified reservoir. Ecol Model 289:133–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deng J, Qin B, Paerl HW, Zhang Y, Ma J, Chen Y (2014) Earlier and warmer springs increase cyanobacterial (Microcystis spp.) blooms in subtropical Lake Taihu, China. Freshw Biol 59:1076–1085

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dodds WK, Bouska WW, Eitzmann JL, Pilger TJ, Pitts KL, Riley AJ (2009) Eutrophication of U.S. freshwaters: analysis of potential economic damages. Environ Sci Technol 43(1):12–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dornhofer K, Oppelt N (2016) Remote sensing for lake research and monitoring—recent advances. Ecol Indic 64:105–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fonseca BM, Bicudo CED (2011) Phytoplankton seasonal and vertical variations in a tropical shallow reservoir with abundant macrophytes (Ninf, Ias Pond, Brazil). Hydrobiologia 665:229–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gitelson AA, Dall’Olmo G, Moses W, Rundquist DC, Barrow T, Fisher TR, Gurlin D, Holz J (2008) A simple semi-analytical model for remote estimation of chlorophyll-a in turbid waters: validation. Remote Sens Environ 112:3582–3593

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gons HJ, Rijkeboer M, Ruddick KG (2005) Effect of a waveband shift on chlorophyll retrieval from MERIS imagery of inland and coastal waters. J Plankton Res 27:125–127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gower J, King S, Borstad G, Brown G (2005) Detection of intense plankton blooms using the 709 nm band of the MERIS imaging spectrometer. Int J Remote Sens 26(9):2005–2012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu C (2009) A novel ocean color index to detect floating algae in the global oceans. Remote Sens Environ 113(10):2118–2129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter PD, Tyler AN, Gilvear DJ, Willby NJ (2009) Using remote sensing to aid the assessment of human health risks from blooms of potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Environ Sci Technol 43:2627–2633

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter PD, Tyler AN, Carvalho L, Codd GA, Maberly SC (2010) Hyperspectral remote sensing of cyanobacterial pigments as indicators for cell populations and toxins in eutrophic lakes. Remote Sens Environ 114:2705–2718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kosten S, Huszar LM, Becares E, Costa LS, Donk E, Hansson LA (2012) Warmer climates boost cyanobacterial dominance in shallow lakes. Glob Chang Biol 18:118–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kudela RM, Palacios SL, Austerberry DC, Accorsi EK, Guild LS, Perez JT (2015) Application of hyperspectral remote sensing to cyanobacterial blooms in inland waters. Remote Sens Environ 167:196–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le C, Li Y, Zha Y, Sun D (2009) Specific absorption coefficient and the phytoplankton package effect in Lake Taihu, China. Hydrobiologia 619:27–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Le C, Li Y, Zha Y, Sun D, Huang C, Zhang H (2011) Remote estimation of chlorophyll a in optically complex waters based on optical classification. Remote Sens Environ 115:725–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Wang S, Guo J, Fang F, Gao X, Long M (2012) Responses of phytoplankton diversity to physical disturbance under manual operation in a large reservoir, China. Hydrobiologia 684:45–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li W, Xu XG, Fujibayashi M, Niu QG, Tanaka N, Nishimura O (2016) Response of microalgae to elevated CO2 and temperature: impact of climate change on freshwater ecosystems. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23:19847–19860

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu L, Liu D, Johnson DM, Yi Z, Huang Y (2012) Effects of vertical mixing on phytoplankton blooms in Xiangxi Bay of Three Gorges Reservoir: implications for management. Water Res 46:2121–2130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma J, Qin B, Paerl HW, Brookes JD, Hall NS, Shi K (2015) The persistence of cyanobacterial (Microcystis spp.) blooms throughout winter in Lake Taihu, China. Limnol Oceanogr 61

  • Matsushita B, Yang W, Yu G, Oyama Y, Yoshimura K, Fukushima T (2015) A hybrid algorithm for estimating the chlorophyll-a concentration across different trophic states in Asian inland waters. ISPRS J Photogramm Remote Sens 102:28–37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews MW (2014) Eutrophication and cyanobacterial blooms in south African inland waters: 10 years of MERIS observations. Remote Sens Environ 155:161–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews MW, Odermatt D (2015) Improved algorithm for routine monitoring of cyanobacteria and eutrophication in inland and near-coastal waters. Remote Sens Environ 156:374–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews MW, Bernard S, Robertson L (2012) An algorithm for detecting trophic status (chlorophyll-a), cyanobacterial-dominance, surface scums and floating vegetation in inland and coastal waters. Remote Sens Environ 124:637–652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oyama Y, Fukushima T, Matsushita B, Matsuzaki H, Kamiya K, Kobinata H (2015a) Monitoring levels of cyanobacterial blooms using the visual cyanobacteria index (VCI) and floating algae index (FAI). Int J Appl Earth Obs Geoinf 38:335–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oyama Y, Matsushita B, Fukushima T (2015b) Distinguishing surface cyanobacterial blooms and aquatic macrophytes using Landsat/TM and ETM+ shortwave infrared bands. Remote Sens Environ 157:35–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paerl HW, Xu H, McCarthy M, Zhu G, Qin B, Li Y, Gardner W (2011) Controlling harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a hyper-eutrophic lake (Lake Taihu, China): the need for a dual nutrient (N & P) management strategy. Water Res 45:1973–1983

  • Paerl HW, Paul VJ (2012) Climate change: links to global expansion of harmful cyanobacteria. Water Res 46:1349–1363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer CJ, Kutser T, Hunter PD (2015) Remote sensing of inland waters: challenges, progress and future directions. Remote Sens Environ 157:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi L, Hu C, Duan H, Cannizzaro J, Ma R (2014) A novel MERIS algorithm to derive cyanobacterial phycocyanin pigment concentrations in a eutrophic lake: theoretical basis and practical considerations. Remote Sens Environ 154:298–317

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez A, Laio A (2014) Clustering by fast search and find of density peaks. Science 344:1492–1496

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shan K, Li L, Wang X, Wu Y, Hu L, Yu G (2014) Modelling ecosystem structure and trophic interactions in typical cyanobacterial bloom-dominated shallow Lake Dianchi, China. Ecol Model 291:82–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen Q, Li J, Zhang F, Sun X, Li J, Li W, Zhang B (2015) Classification of several optically complex waters in China using in situ remote sensing reflectance. Remote Sens 7:14731–14756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi K, Li Y, Li L, Lv H, Song K, Liu Z (2013) Remote chlorophyll-a estimates for inland waters based on a cluster-based classification. Sci Total Environ 444:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi K, Zhang Y, Li Y, Li L, Lv H, Liu X (2015a) Remote estimation of cyanobacteria-dominance in inland waters. Water Res 68:217–226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi K, Zhang Y, Xu H, Zhu G, Qin B, Huang C, Liu X (2015b) Long-term satellite observations of microcystin concentrations in Lake Taihu during cyanobacterial bloom periods. Environ Sci Technol 49:6448–6456

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Song K, Li L, Li S, Tedesco L, Hall B, Li Z (2012) Hyperspectral retrieval of phycocyanin in potable water sources using genetic algorithm-partial least squares (GA-PLS) modeling. Int J Appl Earth Obs Geoinf 18:368–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song K, Li L, Tedesco L, Clercin N, Hall B, Li S (2013) Remote estimation of phycocyanin (PC) for inland waters coupled with YSI PC fluorescence probe. Environ Sci Pollut Res 20:5330–5340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stumpf RP, Davis TW, Wynne TT, Graham JL, Loftin KA, Johengen TH (2016) Challenges for mapping cyanotoxin patterns from remote sensing of cyanobacteria. Harmful Algae 54:160–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tebbs E, Remedios J, Avery S, Rowland C, Harper D (2015) Regional assessment of lake ecological states using Landsat: a classification scheme for alkaline-saline, flamingo lakes in the East African Rift Valley. Int J Appl Earth Obs Geoinf 40:100–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wozniak M, Bradtke KM, Darecki M, Krezel A (2016) Empirical model for phycocyanin concentration estimation as an indicator of cyanobacterial bloom in the optically complex coastal waters of the Baltic Sea. Remote Sens 8:212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu T, Qin B, Brookes JD, Shi K, Zhu G, Zhu M (2015) The influence of changes in wind patterns on the areal extension of surface cyanobacterial blooms in a large shallow lake in China. Sci Total Environ 518:24–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Y, Li L, Zheng L, Dai G, Ma H, Shan K (2016) Patterns of succession between bloom-forming cyanobacteria Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Microcystis and related environmental factors in large, shallow Dianchi Lake, China. Hydrobiologia 765:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wynne TT, Stumpf RP, Tomlinson MC, Warner RA, Tester PA, Dyble J (2008) Relating spectral shape to cyanobacterial blooms in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Remote Sens 29(12):3665–3672

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao Y, Li Z, Guo J, Fang F (2016a) Succession of phytoplankton assemblages in response to large-scale reservoir operation: a case study in a tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Environ Monit Assess 188:153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao Y, Li Z, Guo J, Liu J, Huang Y (2016b) Cyanobacteria in a tributary backwater area in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Inland Waters 6:77–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan H, Zhang X, Dong J, Shang M, Shan K, Wu D (2016a) Spatial and temporal relation rule acquisition of eutrophication in Da’ning River based on rough set theory. Ecol Indic 66:180–189

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yan H, Huang Y, Wang G, Zhang X, Shang M, Feng L (2016b) Water eutrophication evaluation based on rough set and petri nets: a case study in Xiangxi-River, Three Gorges Reservoir. Ecol Indic 69:463–472

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Z, Liu D, Ji D, Xiao S (2010) Influence of the impounding process of the Three Gorges Reservoir up to water level 172.5 m on water eutrophication in the Xiangxi Bay. SCIENCE CHINA Technol Sci 53:1114–1125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ye H, Li J, Li T, Shen Q, Zhu J, Wang X, Zhang F, Zhang J, Zhang B (2016) Spectral classification of the Yellow Sea and implications for coastal ocean color remote sensing. Remote Sens 8:321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng H, Song L, Yu Z, Chen H (2006) Distribution of phytoplankton in the Three Gorge Reservoir during rainy and dry seasons. Sci Total Environ 367:999–1009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Zhang B, Ma R, Feng S, Le C (2007) Optically active substances and their contributions to the underwater light climate in Lake Taihu, a large shallow lake in China. Fundam Appl Limnol 170:11–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Shan L, Qian X, Wang Q, Qian Y, Liu J (2011) Temporal and spatial variability of chlorophyll a concentration in Lake Taihu using MODIS time-series data. Hydrobiologia 661(1):235–250

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Yin Y, Wang M, Liu X (2012) Effect of phytoplankton community composition and cell size on absorption properties in eutrophic shallow lakes: field and experimental evidence. Opt Express 20:11882–11898

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Shi K, Liu J, Deng J, Qin B, Zhu G (2016) Meteorological and hydrological conditions driving the formation and disappearance of black blooms, an ecological disaster phenomena of eutrophication and algal blooms. Sci Total Environ 569:1517–1529

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu K, Bi Y, Hu Z (2013) Responses of phytoplankton functional groups to the hydrologic regime in the Daning River, a tributary of Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Sci Total Environ 450-451:169–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted with the support of the National Science and Technology Major Project (2014ZX07104-006), the Chongqing Science and Technology Innovation Special Project for Social Livelihood (Y61Z030A10), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51609229). The authors thank Xin Liu, Yiqi Liu, and Yanru Cheng for their participation in the field experiments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chongqing Key Laboratory of Big Data and Intelligent Computing, Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing, 400714, China

    Botian Zhou, Mingsheng Shang, Guoyin Wang, Kun Shan & Xuerui Zhang

  2. Chongqing Collaborative Innovation Center of Big Data Application in Eco-Environmental Remote Sensing, Chongqing Academy of Environmental Science, Chongqing, 401147, China

    Li Feng

  3. School of Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Xiangnan Liu & Ling Wu

Authors
  1. Botian Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mingsheng Shang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Guoyin Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Li Feng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kun Shan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xiangnan Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ling Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xuerui Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xuerui Zhang.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Diane Purchase

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, B., Shang, M., Wang, G. et al. Remote estimation of cyanobacterial blooms using the risky grade index (RGI) and coverage area index (CAI): a case study in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 19044–19056 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9544-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-9544-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation