Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, a water source area for the Southto-North Water Diversion Project (Middle Route), China

  • Published:
Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

One of the water source areas of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project is the Danjiangkou Reservoir (DJKR). To understand seasonal variation in phytoplankton composition, abundance and distribution in the DJKR area before water diversion, as well as to estimate potential risks of water quality after water diversion, we conducted an investigation on phytoplankton in the DJKR from August 2008 to May 2009. The investigation included 10 sampling sites, each with four depths of 0.5, 5, 10, and 20 m. In this study, 117 taxa belonging to 76 genera were identified, consisting of diatoms (39 taxa), green algae (47 taxa), blue-green algae (19 taxa), and others (12 taxa). Annual average phytoplankton abundance was 2.01 × 106 ind./L, and the highest value was 14.72 × 106 ind/L (at site 3 in August 2008). Phytoplankton abundance in front of the Danjiangkou Dam (DJKD) was higher than that of the Danjiang Reservoir Basin. Phytoplankton distribution showed a vertical declining trend from 0.5 m to 20 m at most sites in August 2008 (especially at sites of 1, 2, 4 and 10), but no distinct pattern in other sampling months. In December 2008 and March 2009, Stephanodiscus sp. was the most abundant species, amounting to 55.23% and 72.34%, respectively. We propose that high abundance of Stephanodiscus sp. may have contributed greatly to the frequent occurrence of Stephanodiscus sp. blooms in middle-low reaches of the Hanjiang River during the early spring of 2009. In comparison with previous studies conducted from 1992 to 2006, annual average phytoplankton density, green algae and blue-green algae species, as well as major nutrient concentrations increased, while phytoplankton diversity indices declined. This indicates a gradual decline in water quality. More research should be conducted and countermeasures taken to prevent further deterioration of water quality in the DJKR.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baxter R. 1977. Environmental effects of dams and impoundments. Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 8: 255–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borutsky E B, Wu H W, Pai K T, Ko M S, Wang C L, Wang S T, Chen S T. 1959. Hydrobiological survey of the region of the projected dam-reservoir of Tankiangkou, with propositions for fisheries management. Acta Hydrobiol. Sinica, 1: 33–56. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brook A, Rzoska J. 1954. The influence of the Gebel Aulyia dam on the development of Nile plankton. J. Anim. Ecol., 23: 101–114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai Y J, Luo X J. 2007. Forecasting the environmental geological issues after Heightening the Danjiangkou Dam. Yangtze River, 38(9): 28–30. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chalar G. 2009. The use of phytoplankton patterns of diversity for algal bloom management. Limnologica, 39: 200–208.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen X Q, Zhang E F, Mu H Q, Zong Y. 2005. A preliminary analysis of human impacts on sediment discharges from the Yangtze, China, into the sea. J. Coastal Res., 21: 515–521.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crossetti L O, Bicudo D C, Bicudo C E M, Bini L M. 2008. Phytoplankton biodiversity changes in a shallow tropical reservoir during the hypertrophication process. Braz. J. Biol., 68: 1 061–1 067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Domingues R B, Galvao H. 2007. Phytoplankton and environmental variability in a dam regulated temperate estuary. Hydrobiol., 586: 117–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Domingues R B, Sobrino C, Galvao H. 2007. Impact of reservoir filling on phytoplankton succession and cyanobacteria blooms in a temperate estuary. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 74: 31–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dou M, Xie P, Xia J, Shen X L, Fang F. 2002. Study on algalbloom in the Hanjiang River. Adv. Water Sci., 13(5): 557–561. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu H J, Wei Y X. 2006. The Freshwater Algae of China—Systematics, Taxonomy and Ecology. Sciences Press, Beijing, China. p.300–303. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiao N Z, Zhang Y, Zeng Y H, Gardner W D, Mishonov A V, Richardson M J, Hong N, Pan D L, Yan X H, Jo Y H, Chen C T A, Wang P X, Chen Y T, Hong H S, Bai Y, Chen X H, Huang B Q, Deng H, Shi Y, Yang D C. 2007. Ecological anomalies in the East China Sea: Impacts of the Three Gorges dam? Water Res., 41: 1 287–1 293.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuang Q J, Hu Z Y, Zhou G J, Ye L, Cai Q H. 2004. Investigation on phytoplankton in Xiangxi river watershed and the evaluation of its water quality. J. Wuhan Bot. Res., 22(6): 507–513. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuang Q J, Tan Y Y, Wan D B, Zhang J Y. 2000. On the phytoplankton in the middle and lower reached of the Hanjiang River and the prevention of water blooms. Res. Env. Yangtze Basin, 9(1): 63–70. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y Y, Gao W L, Li J F, Wen Z Z, Liu H, Hu L Q, Zhang N Q, Chen X. 2008a. Spatiotemporal distribution of phytoplankton and trophic status in the water resource area of the middle route of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Chin. J. Ecol., 27(1): 14–22. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li S Y, Xu Z F, Cheng X L, Zhang Q F. 2008b. Dissolved trace elements and heavy metals in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, China. Environ. Geol., 55: 977–983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li S Y, Liu W Z, Gu S, Cheng X L, Xu Z F, Zhang Q F. 2009. Spatio-temporal dynamics of nutrients in the upper Han River basin, China. J. Hazard. Mater., 162: 1 340–1 346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y X, Zhang N Q, Li Y Y, Du M H, Pang F H, Hu L Q, Shi J W. 2005. Study on phytoplankton and evaluation of water quality in water source area of Middle Line Project of Transferring Water from South to North. J. Lake Sci., 17(3): 219–225. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y Y, Gao W L, Li J F, Wen Z Z, Liu H, Hu L Q, Zhang N Q, Chen X. 2008b. Spatiotemporal distribution of phytoplankton and trophic status in the water resource area of the middle route of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Chin. J. Ecol., 27(1): 14–22. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Negro A, De Hoyos C, Vega J. 2000. Phytoplankton structure and dynamics in Lake Sanabria and Valparaiso reservoir (NW Spain). Hydrobiol., 424: 25–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nogueira M G. Phytoplankton composition, dominance and abundance as indicators of environmental compartmentalization in Jurumirim Reservoir (Paranapanema River), Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hydrobiol., 431(2): 115–128.

  • Pang Z L, Zhang N Q, Du R Q, Li Y Y. 2008. A study on correlation between plankton and environmental factors in the water source area of the middle line project transferring water from South to North. Acta Agric. Universitatis Jiangxiensis, 30(3): 555–561. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rott E. 1981. Some results from phytoplankton counting intercalibrations. Aquat. Sci. Res. Boundaries, 43: 34–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sicko-Goad L, Stoermer E, Ladewski B. 1977. A morphometric method for correcting phytoplankton cell volume estimates. Protoplasma, 93: 147–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soylu E N, Gonulol A. 2006. Seasonal variation in the diversity, species richness and composition of the phytoplankton assemblages in a shallow lake. Cryptogamie Algol., 27: 85–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • State EPA of China. 2002. Monitoring and Determination Methods for Water and Wastewater (4th ed.). China Environmental Science Press, Beijing, China. (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoermer E. 1978. Phytoplankton assemblages as indicators of water quality in the Laurentian Creat Lakes. Trans. Am. Microsc. Soc., 97: 2–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vorosmarty C J, Meybeck M, Fekete B, Sharma K, Green P, Syvitski J P M. 2003. Anthropogenic sediment retention: major global impact from registered river impoundments. Global Planet. Change, 39: 169–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu H J, Pen J H Han D J, Jian D, Zou Q. 1996. Composition and ecological changes of phytoplankton in Danjiangkou Reservoir. J. Lake Sci., 8(1): 43–50. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang G, Yang G R, Liu J L, 1996. Plankton resource survey of Danjiangkou Reservoir. J. Hubei Agric. College, 16(1): 38–42. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin K H, Yuan H R, Ruan Y, Li Z Y. 2001. Variantion and correlation of environmental parameters in the water of Danjaingkou Reservoir. Res. Env. Yangtze Basin, 10(1): 75–81. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeng H, Song L R, Yu Z G, Chen H T. 2006. Distribution of phytoplankton in the Three-Gorge Reservoir during rainy and dry seasons. Sci. Total Env., 367: 999–1 009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng H, Song L R, Yu Z G, Chen H T. 2007. Post-impoundment biomass and composition of phytoplankton in the Yangtze River. Int. Rev. Hydrobiol., 92: 267–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang M, Shao M L, Cai Q H, Xu Y Y, Wang L, Kong L H. 2010. Macroinvertebrate community structure and the biological assessment to the water quality of the Danjiangkou Reservoir. J. Lake Sci., 22(2): 281–290. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang N Q, Du M H, Pang Z L, Li Y Y, Hu L Q. 2006. Investigation of phytoplankton and evaluation of water quality in the water source area of the Middle Line Project for transferring water from South to North. J. Plant Ecol., 30(4): 650–654. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q F, Xu Z F, Shen Z H, Li S Y, Wang S S. 2009. The Han River watershed management initiative for the South-to-North Water Transfer project (the Middle Route) of China. Environ. Monit. Assess., 148: 369–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao L Y, Zhang N Q, Du R Q. 2009. Integrated correlation coefficient analysis of environmental factors of Danjiangkou Reservoir on growth of plankton. J. Henan Normal University (Natural Science), 37(4): 128–132. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zheng L L, Song L R, Wu X H, Zhuang H R. 2009. Anaysis of morphology and 18S rDNA gene from the causative specie related diatom bloom in Han Jiang River. Acta Hydrobiol. Sinica, 33(3): 562–564. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou G J, Kuang Q J, Hu Z Y, Cai Q H. 2006. Study on the succession of algae and the trend of water-bloom occurred in Xiangxi Bay. Acta Hydrobiol. Sinica, 50: 42–45. (in Chinese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Dacong Yin  (殷大聪), Lingling Zheng  (郑凌凌) & Lirong Song  (宋立荣)

  2. Yangtze River Science Research Institute, Ministry of Water Resources, Wuhan, 430010, China

    Dacong Yin  (殷大聪)

Authors
  1. Dacong Yin  (殷大聪)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lingling Zheng  (郑凌凌)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lirong Song  (宋立荣)
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lirong Song  (宋立荣).

Additional information

Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2008CB418006) and the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. KZCX-YW-14-1)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yin, D., Zheng, L. & Song, L. Spatio-temporal distribution of phytoplankton in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, a water source area for the Southto-North Water Diversion Project (Middle Route), China. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 29, 531–540 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-011-0120-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-011-0120-9

Keyword

Search

Navigation