Abstract
The Weihe River Basin plays an indispensable role in the water environment and water ecological balance in Northwest China and the lower reaches of the Yellow River. In the context of river ecosystems being affected by climate change and human activities, phytoplankton, as primary producers in food webs, serve as an important ecological indicator of environmental change. As such, systematic surveys on the water environment and phytoplankton were carried out in the Weihe River mainstem and its five tributaries from the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains from October to November 2017 and April to May 2018. In total, 154 species of phytoplankton belonging to 69 genera were identified in the heavy sediment-laden mainstem, with an average density and biomass of 177.57*104 cell L−1 and 6.53 mg L−1, respectively. Furthermore, a total of 207 species of phytoplankton belonging to 81 genera were identified in the five tributaries originating in the Qinling Mountains, with an average density and biomass of 80.98*104 cell L−1 and 1.90 mg L−1, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was employed to analyze the relationship between phytoplankton communities and environmental factors. The results of data screening and Monte Carlo sequencing tests revealed that water temperature (WT), dissolved oxygen (DO), and nitrite nitrogen (NO2--N) were the primary environmental factors affecting the distribution and abundance of phytoplankton in the Weihe River mainstem. WT, flow velocity (V), pH, conductivity (Cond), and NO2--N predominantly structured the phytoplankton communities in the Weihe River tributaries. The results of this study are useful for the ecological management and conservation of the mainstem and tributaries of the Weihe River Basin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allan JD (2014) Stream ecology. Springer-Verlag GmbH 40(4): 896–896. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2017.10.002
Arimoro FO, Olisa HE, Keke UN, Ayanwale AV, Chukwuemeka VI (2018) Exploring spatio-temporal patterns of plankton diversity and community structure as correlates of water quality in a tropical stream. Acta Ecol Sin 38(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2017.10.002
Arthington AH, Naiman RJ, Mcclain ME et al (2010) Preserving the biodiversity and ecological services of rivers: new challenges and research opportunities. Freshw Biol 55(1):1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2009.02340.x
Bai H, Zhao N, Yin X et al (2014) Community structure and relationship with environmental factors in zooplankton in the weihe river basin, Northwest China. J Dalian Ocean Univ 29(3):260–266. https://doi.org/10.3969/J.ISSN.2095-1388.2014.03.012
Barbour M. T., Gerritsen J, Snyder B.D, et al (1999) Rapid bioassessment protocols foruse in streams and wadable rivers: periphyton, benthic invertebrates and fish
Bharathi MD, Sarma VVSS, Ramaneswari K (2018) Intra-annual variations in phytoplankton biomass and its composition in the tropical estuary: influence of river discharge. Mar Pollut Bull 129(1):14–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.02.007
Caraco N F (1995) Influence of human populations on P transfers to aquatic systems: a regional scale study using large rivers[A]. In: Tiessen H. (ed), Phosphorus in the global environment, John Wiley & Sous Ltd: 235–244. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8435-5_1
Chen S, Gao K (2010) Solar ultroviolet radiation and CO2-induced ocean acidification interacts to influence the photosynthetic performance of the red tide alga phaeocystis globosa (Prymnesiophyceae). Hydrobiologia 675(1):105–117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0807-0
Chen G, Ma J (2014) Analysis on variation law of sediment transport in the weihe river basin. Pearl River 6(22):75–78
Chételat J, Pick FR, Hamilton PB (2006) Potamoplankton size structure and taxonomic composition: influence of river size and nutrient concentrations. Limnol Oceanogr 51(1-part-2):681–689. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2006.51.1_part_2.0681
Cole JJ, Peierls BL, Caraco NF, Pace ML (1993) Nitrogen loading of rivers as a human-driven process. In: McDonnell MJ & Pickett STA (eds) Humans as components of ecosystems. The ecology of subtle human effects and populated areas. Springer, New York, pp. 141–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-0905-8_12
Cox BA (2003) A review of dissolved oxygen modelling techniques for lowland rivers. Sci Total Environ 314:303–334. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0048-9697(03)00062-7
Crayton WM, Sommerfeld MR (1979) Composition and abundance of phytoplankton in tributaries of the lower Colorado River, Grand Canyon region. Hydrobiologia 66(1):81–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00019143
Day JW, Kemp WM, Crump BC (2012) Introduction to estuarine ecology. In: Estuarine ecology second edn. Wiley
Dortch Q, Whitledge TE (1992) Does nitrogen or silicon limit phytoplankton production in the Mississippi River plume and nearby regions? Continental Shelf Research 12(11):1293–1309 https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(92)90065-r
Elliott JA, Defew L (2012) Modelling the response of phytoplankton in a shallow lake (Loch Leven, UK) to changes in lake retention time and water temperature. Hydrobiologia 681(1):105–116 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0930-y
Fan Y, Liu K, Chen S et al (2017) Spatial pattern analysis on water conservative functionality of land ecosystem in northern slope of qinling mountains. Bull Soil Water Conserv 37(2):50–56. https://doi.org/10.13961/j.cnki.stbctb.2017.02.008
Fariñas TH, Bacher C, Soudant D, Belin C, Barillé L (2015) Assessing phytoplankton realized niches using a french national phytoplankton monitoring network. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 159:15–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.03.010
Fay P (1988) Viability of Akinetes of the Planktonic Cyanobacterium Anabaena circinalis. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 234(1276):283–301. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1988.0049
Gao H, Li X, Chen X et al (2015) Structure and water quality assessment of floating vegetation in the western Shaanxi section of the Weihe River. Hebei Yuye 11:12–13. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1004-6755.2015.11.005
Gasiūnait ZR, Cardoso AC, Heiskanen AS et al (2005) Seasonality of coastal phytoplankton in the Baltic Sea: influence of salinity and eutrophication. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci. 65(1–2):239–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2005.05.018
Geng Y-N (2013) Analysis and evaluation on water quality of Baoji Section of Weihe River in wet season. Acta Agriculturae Jiangxi
Havens KE, Beaver JR (2011) Composition, size, and biomass of zooplankton in large productive Florida lakes. Hydrobiologia 668(1):49–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0386-5
Hoang HTT, Duong TT, Nguyen KT et al (2018) Impact of anthropogenic activities on water quality and plankton communities in the Day River (Red River Delta, Vietnam). Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 190(2):67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6435-z
Hongxiao T (2003) Environmental Nano-Pollutants (ENP) and their micro-interfacial processes on the aquatic particles. ACTA SCIENTIAE CIRCUMSTANTIAE 1(2):146–155
Hu H, Li Y, Wei Y et al (1980) The freshwater algae of China—systematics, taxonomy and ecology. Shanghai Scientific & Technical Publishers
Huff DR (1986) Phytoplankton communities in Navigation Pool No. 7 of the upper Mississippi River. Hydrobiologia 136(1):47–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00051503
Huisman J, Weissing FJ (1999) Biodiversity of plankton by species oscillation and chaos. Nature 402(6760):407–410. https://doi.org/10.1038/46540
Jiang W, Zhou C, Ji D et al (2017) Comparison of relationship between conduction and algal bloom in pengxi river and modao river in Three Gorges Reservoir. Environ Sci 06:138–147. https://doi.org/10.13227/j.hjkx.201610183
Kaemingk MA, Graeb BDS, Hoagstrom CW et al (2010) Patterns of fish diversity in a mainstem Missouri River reservoir and associated delta in South Dakota and Nebraska, USA. River Res Appl 23(7):786–791. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.1002
Lange TR, Rada RG (1993) Community dynamics of phytoplankton in a typical navigation pool in the Upper Mississippi River. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science Jias.
Li WK, McLaughlin FA, Lovejoy C, Carmack EC (2009) Smallest algae thrive as the arctic ocean freshens. Science 326:539–539. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1179798
Li J, Li H, Shen B et al (2011) Effect of non-point source pollution on water quality of the Weihe River. Int J Sediment Res 26(1):0–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1001-6279(11)60075-9
Liu H (1987) Criteria for the investigation of lake eutrophication. China Environmental Science Press
Liu F (2004) Study on optimal dispatch for Baojixia irrigation area and headwaters engineering management strategy research in Western Region of Guanzhong. Northwest A&F University
Liu SD, Xue BR, Gao J (2014) The ecological security research of the northern slope of Qinling mountains based on the DPSIR model. Adv Mater Res 1073–1076:438–444. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.1073-1076.438
Lorenzen CJ (1967) Determination of chlorophyll and pheopigments: spectrophotometric equations. Limnol Oceanogr 12(2):343–346. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1967.12.2.0343
Luan J, Chen W (2004) Typical characteristics and service functions of river ecosystem. Yangtze River 35(9):41–43. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1001-4179.2004.09.016
Ma L (1992) Agriculture non-point source nitrogen pollution and control measures of Taihu Basin, southern Jiangsu province. Chin J Appl Ecol 3(4):346–354. https://doi.org/10.13287/j.1001-9332.1992.0058
Magilligan FJ, Nislow KH (2005) Changes in hydrologic regime by dams. Geomorphology. 71(1–2):0–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.08.017
Martin DB, Mengel LJ, Novotny JF et al (1981) Spring and summer water levels in a Missouri river reservoir: effects on age-0 fish and zooplankton. Trans Am Fish Soc 110(3):370–381. https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1981)110<370:SASWLI>2.0.CO;2
Milde AS, Richardson WB, Strauss EA et al (2017) Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Suspended Particle Characteristics and Composition in Navigation Pool 19 of the Upper Mississippi River [J]. River Research and Applications 33(5):740–752. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.3131
Min W, Wang P, Li L et al (2015) Relationship between phytoplankton functional groups and environmental factors in the Weihe River Basin. Res Environ Sci 28(9):1397–1406. https://doi.org/10.13198/j.issn.1001-6929.2015.09.09
Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China (2002) Water and wastewater detection and analysis method, 4th edn. China Environmental Science Press
Moorhouse HL, Read DS, Mcgowan S et al (2018) Characterisation of a major phytoplankton bloom in the River Thames (UK) using flow cytometry and high performance liquid chromatography. Sci Total Environ 624:366–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.128
Ni J, Liu Y (2006) Ecological rehabilitation of damaged river system. J Hydraul Eng 37(9):1029–1037. https://doi.org/10.13243/j.cnki.slxb.2006.09.001
Niu M, Wang W, Wang J (2003) The influence of sand on Yellow River water environment. J Yellow River Conserv Tech Instit 15(4):10–12. https://doi.org/10.13681/j.cnki.cn41-1282/tv.2003.04.005
Nunes M, Adams JB, Rishworth GM (2018) Shifts in phytoplankton community structure in response to hydrological changes in the shallow St Lucia Estuary. Mar Pollut Bull 128:275–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.01.035
Obrador B, Pretus JL (2008) Light regime and components of turbidity in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 77(1):123–133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2007.09.008
Pasztaleniec A, Poniewozik M (2010) Phytoplankton based assessment of the ecological status of four shallow lakes (Eastern Poland) according to Water Framework Directive – a comparison of approaches. Limnologica 40(3):0–259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.limno.2009.07.001
Peierls BL, Caraco NF, Pace ML et al (1991) Human influence on river nitrogen. Nature. 350(6317):386–387. https://doi.org/10.1038/350386b0
Sheng X, Shu J, Peng B et al (2002) Study on emission standards of total nitrogen and total phosphorus at Taihu Basin. Sci Geogr Sin 22(4):449–452. https://doi.org/10.13249/j.cnki.sgs.2002.04.013
Shuguang Z, Dong B, Yanli Z, et al (2004) Technical guide for investigation of water pollution in sediment-rich rivers. The Yellow River Water Conservancy Press.
Song J, Cheng D, Li Q, He X, Long Y, Zhang B (2015) An evaluation of river health for the Weihe River in Shaanxi province. China Adv Meteorol:1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/476020
Stevenson RJ, Peterson CG, Kirschtel DB et al (2010) Density-dependent growth, ecological strategies, and effects of nutrients and shading on benthic diatom succession in streams. J Phycol 27(1):59–69. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-3646.1991.00059.x
Suikkanen S, Laamanen M, Huttunen M (2007) Long-term changes in summer phytoplankton communities of the open northern Baltic Sea. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 71(3):580–592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2006.09.004
Torstensson A, Chierici M, Wulff A (2012) The influence of increased temperature and carbon dioxide levels on the benthic sea ice diatom Navicula directa. Polar Biol 35(2):205–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-011-1056-4
Turner RE, Rabalais NN, Nan ZZ (1990) Phytoplankton biomass, production and growth limitations on the Huanghe (Yellow River) continental shelf. Cont Shelf Res 10(6):545–571. https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(90)90081-v
Varela M (1996) Phytoplankton ecology in the Bay of Biscay. Sci Mar 60:45–53
Vugteveen P, Leuven RSEW, Huijbregts MAJ et al (2006) Redefinition and elaboration of river ecosystem health: perspective for river management. Hydrobiologia. 565(1):289–308. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-005-1920-8
Wang X (2012) Community structure of the phytoplankton and its relationship with environmental factor in lower reaches of the Yellow River. Meteorol Environ Res 7:1–4
Wang J, Chen J, Meng S (2013) The influence of environmental factors on algae growth competition. Chin Agric Sci Bull 29(17):52–56. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-6850.2013.17.010
Wang S, Lu A, Dang S, Chen F (2016) Ammonium nitrogen concentration in the Weihe River, Central China during 2005–2015. Environ Earth Sci 75(6):512–510. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-015-5224-7
Watson SB, Mccauley E, Downing JA (1997) Patterns in phytoplankton taxonomic composition across temperate lakes of differing nutrient status. Limnol Oceanogr 42(3):487–495. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1997.42.3.0487
Wetzel RG (1983) Limnoloy, 2nd edn. Saunders College Publishing, New York
Williamson CE, Saros JE, Vincent WF, Smol JP (2009) Lakes and reservoirs as sentinels, integrators, and regulators of climate change. Limnol Oceanogr 56:2273–2282. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.6_part_2.2273
Wu X, Qijun L (2010) Reviews of influences from hydrodynamic conditions on algae. Ecology and Environmental Science 19(7):1732–1738. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-5906.2010.07.039
Xie YB (2009) Water information technology. China Water Conservancy and Hydropower Press
Xu X, Ni Z, Shen Z, Tian M, Liu B (2018) Phytoplankton community structure and water quality assessment in the northwest of Liaoning province water supply project waters. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 146(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/146/1/012059
Yadav RC (2010) Primary productivity of phytoplanktons in relation to polluted water quality of river ganga at Ghazipur, V. B. S. Purvanchal University.
Yang Q, Shi C, Zhang B et al (2017) Influence of joint operation of donghuang and Guxian reservoirs on Tongguan and the lower reaches of the Weihe River. Shaanxi Shuili 3:8–10. https://doi.org/10.16747/j.cnki.cn61-1109/tv.2017.03.003
Yong Q (2003) Characteristics of Hydrology and Water Resources in Qinling Ecological Protection Area. Journal of Changjiang Vocational University 20(2):9–11
Zeng Z, Gong H (2018) White-browed bush robin (Tarsiger indicus) found in the southern slope of Qinling mountains in Shaanxi Province. Chin J Zool 1:39. https://doi.org/10.13859/j.cjz.201801023
Zhang D (1997) The pollutant concentration in four surface runoffs and rice field water of Shanghai suburbs. Shanghai Environ Sci 16(9):7–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02951625
Funding
This work was financially supported by National Natural Science of China (No. 51939009), National Natural Science Foundation of Shannxi (2019JM-153).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, G., Pan, B., Li, Y. et al. Phytoplankton in the heavy sediment-laden Weihe River and its tributaries from the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains: community structure and environmental drivers. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 8359–8370 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07346-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-07346-6