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Ecosystem deterioration in the middle Yangtze floodplain lakes over the last two centuries: Evidence from sedimentary pigments

Zeng, Linghan; Swann, George E.A.; Leng, Melanie J.; Chen, Xu; Ji, Jing; Huang, Xianyu; McGowan, Suzanne

Ecosystem deterioration in the middle Yangtze floodplain lakes over the last two centuries: Evidence from sedimentary pigments Thumbnail


Authors

Linghan Zeng

Xu Chen

Jing Ji

Xianyu Huang

Suzanne McGowan



Abstract

Water quality of floodplain lakes in the Yangtze region which supports ca. 450 million people is being severely compromised by nutrient pollution, climate change and dam installation resulting from intensive socio-economic development. However, due to a lack of long-term monitoring data, the onset and causes of ecosystem degradation are unclear. Here, we used chlorophyll and carotenoid pigments in dated sediment cores from six lakes spanning the region to reconstruct changes in algae and cyanobacterial HAB (harmful algal bloom) taxa alongside sedimentary nutrient flux measurements and historical archives. Sedimentary N fluxes are linked to changes in agriculture, while urbanization has had greater influences on P fluxes. Over the last 70 years algal and N2-fixing HAB pigments increased markedly in lakes (Luhu, Wanghu) that are strongly influenced by urbanization/industrialization. Algal assemblages in two other lakes (Futou, Honghu) changed gradually and responded primarily to agriculture and associated N fluxes; diazotrophic HAB pigments were absent and the lakes retained macrophyte cover. Local dam installation had no discernible effect on pigment assemblages in three of the four lakes in the past 70 years, but in the two hydrologically-open lakes (Poyang, Dongting), increasing algal production was significantly related to the upstream installation of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) and to urban/industrial and agricultural stressors. Temperature only influenced phototrophs in the most degraded lakes (Luhu, Wanghu). This spatial and temporal overview identifies that nutrient pollution is the primary regional driver of lake phototrophs, but that diazotrophic HABs are stimulated by P-enriched urban wastewater pollution, and agriculturally-derived N pollution favors non-N2-fixing cyanobacteria. Despite negative effects of the Three Gorges project, free connection to the river appears to help mitigate excess HABs in freely connected lakes. Management thus needs to be tailored appropriately to specific lake conditions and palaeolimnology can be valuable in identifying appropriate strategies.

Citation

Zeng, L., Swann, G. E., Leng, M. J., Chen, X., Ji, J., Huang, X., & McGowan, S. (2023). Ecosystem deterioration in the middle Yangtze floodplain lakes over the last two centuries: Evidence from sedimentary pigments. Quaternary Science Reviews, 302, Article 107954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.107954

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 9, 2023
Online Publication Date Jan 13, 2023
Publication Date Feb 15, 2023
Deposit Date Jan 13, 2023
Publicly Available Date Jan 14, 2024
Journal Quaternary Science Reviews
Print ISSN 0277-3791
Electronic ISSN 1873-457X
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 302
Article Number 107954
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.107954
Keywords Anthropocene, Algal production, HABs, Hydrological modification, Agriculture, Urbanization, Industrialization
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/15938779
Publisher URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277379123000021

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