Optimum water depth ranges of dominant submersed macrophytes in a natural freshwater lake.

Macrophytes show a zonal distribution along the lake littoral zone because of their specific preferred water depths while the optimum growth water depths of dominant submersed macrophytes in natural lakes are not well known. We studied the seasonal biomass and frequency patterns of dominant and companion submersed macrophytes along the water depth gradient in Lake Erhai in 2013. The results showed that the species richness and community biomass showed hump-back shaped patterns along the water depth gradient both in polydominant and monodominant communities. Biomass percentage of Potamogenton maackianus showed a hump-back pattern while biomass percentages of Ceratophyllum demersum and Vallisneria natans appeared U-shaped patterns across the water depth gradient in polydominant communities whereas biomass percentage of V. natans increased with the water depth in monodominant communities. Dominant species demonstrated a broader distribution range of water depth than companion species. Frequency and biomass of companion species declined drastically with the water depth whereas those of dominant species showed non-linear patterns across the water depth gradient. Namely, along the water depth gradient, biomass of P. maackianus and V. natans showed hump-back patterns and biomasses of C. demersum displayed a U-shaped pattern in the polydominant communities but biomass of V. natans demonstrated a hump-back pattern in the monodominant communities; frequency of P. maackianus showed a hump-back pattern and C. demersum and V. natans maintained high frequencies in the two types of communities. We can speculate that in Lake Erhai the optimum growth water depths of P. maackianus and C. demersum in the polydominant communities are 2.5-4.5 m and 1-2 m or 5-6 m, respectively and that of V. natans is 3-5 m in the polydominant communities and 2.5-5 m in the monodominant communities. This is the first report that the optimum water depth ranges in the horizontal direction of three dominant submersed macrophytes in a natural freshwater lake were determined.

Application of plant carbon source for denitrification by constructed wetland and bioreactor: review of recent development.

Water quality standard for nitrate becomes more and more strict, and the plant carbon source is widely used for denitrification by constructed wetland (CW) and bioreactor. However, the nitrate removal efficiency by different types of plant carbon source are not evaluated comprehensively. Denitrification performance of different plant carbon sources, and the influence of dosing method and pretreatment are thoroughly reviewed in this paper, which aims to investigate the accurate utilization of plant carbon source for nitrogen (as nitrate) removal. It is concluded that plant carbon source addition for all types of CWs and bioreactors can improve the nitrate removal efficiency to some extent, and the dosing method of plant carbon source for denitrification should be further studied and optimized in the future. The popular carbon sources for CW and bioreactor denitrification enhancement are woodchip, chopped macrophytes, crop plants, macrophytes litters, etc. The recommended optimum C:N ratios for CW and bioreactor are 4.0:5.0 and 1.8:3.0, respectively. The physical and biological pretreatments are selected to supply organic carbon for long-term denitrification.

[Relationship Between Agricultural Land and Water Quality of Inflow River in Erhai Lake Basin].

We studied the relationship between agricultural land and water quality of inflow river in Erhai Lake Basin, by means of spatial and statistical analysis, from the perspective of comprehensive agricultural land and the area percentage of different types of agricultural land. The obtained results indicated that inflow water quality showed a significant spatial difference, the inflow TP pollution in the western inflow rivers of Erhai Basin was serious. The major pollution indicators in the northern and southern inflow rivers (except for D3) were organic matter and nitrogen. The area percentage of agricultural land had a significantly indicative effect on the water quality of inflow river. The area percentage of comprehensive agricultural land negatively correlated with permanganate index, NH4(+) -N, TN and TP contents in wet season, the correlation coefficients were - 0.859, - 0.565, - 0.693, - 0.181. It negatively correlated with permanganate index and NH4(+) -N content in dry season, the correlation coefficients were - 0.384, - 0.328. It had positive relationships with and TN, TP content in dry season, the correlation coefficients were 0.221 and 0.146. The area percentage of different types of agricultural land had an obviously indicative effect on the inflow water quality. Farmland positively correlated with TN and TP contents both in wet and dry seasons. The correlation coefficients between farmland and TN, TP were 0.252, 0.581 in rainy season and were 0.149, 0.511 in dry season. It had positive and negative relationships with permanganate index, NH4(+) -N content in wet season and dry season, respectively. The correlation coefficients between farmland and permanganate index, NH4(+) -N were 0.388, 0.053 in rainy season and were -0.137, -0.147 in dry season. Forest land exhibited an opposite performance to that of farmland. The correlation coefficients between forest land and TN, TP, permanganate index, NH4(+) -N were - 0.526, - 0.275, - 0.469, -0.155 in rainy season and were -0.012, -0.100, 0.282, 0.151 in dry season. Fishpond had a weakly indicative effect on TN and TP contents. Meadowland and orchard had a similar performance with that of farmland in wet season, but were opposite to that of farmland in dry season. Therefore, management for farmland, meadowland and orchard in the north and south during wet season should be emphasized during the agricultural nonpoint source control in Erhai Lake Basin.