Analysis of nutrient transport and ecological response in Honghu Lake, China by using a mathematical model

Ting Zhang; Xuan Ban; Xuelei Wang; Xiaobin Cai; Enhua Li; Zhi Wang; Chao Yang; Qing Zhang; Xiaorong Lu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.188

Analysis of nutrient transport and ecological response in Honghu Lake, China by using a mathematical model

Sci Total Environ. 2017 Jan 1:575:418-428. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.188. Epub 2016 Oct 14.

Authors

Ting Zhang¹, Xuan Ban², Xuelei Wang³, Xiaobin Cai², Enhua Li², Zhi Wang², Chao Yang⁴, Qing Zhang⁴, Xiaorong Lu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 340 Xudong Rd., Wuhan 430077, Hubei, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Rd., Beijing 100049, China; School of Resource and Environmental Science and Engineering, Hubei University of Science and Technology, No. 88 Xianning Rd., Xianning, 437100, Hubei, China.
² Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 340 Xudong Rd., Wuhan 430077, Hubei, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation, No. 340 Xudong Rd., Wuhan 430077, Hubei, China.
³ Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 340 Xudong Rd., Wuhan 430077, Hubei, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation, No. 340 Xudong Rd., Wuhan 430077, Hubei, China. Electronic address: xueleiwang@whigg.ac.cn.
⁴ Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 340 Xudong Rd., Wuhan 430077, Hubei, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Rd., Beijing 100049, China.

PMID: 27750138
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.188

Abstract

A two-dimensional (2D) water quality model was established to determine the response of water quality variables and submerged aquatic vegetation biomass to load reduction from watershed inflows and enclosure aquaculture in Honghu Lake in China. Results showed that the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads from upstream discharge were the major external loads in the lake, accounting for 70% and 63% of the total loads, respectively. Scenario simulation results indicated that 93.2% of the lake area in summer (August) and 89.5% in autumn (November) could reach the protective targets (TN<1.0mg/L) under 50% reduction of inflow TN loads. Meanwhile, 58.7% of the lake area in summer and 63.1% in autumn could reach the protective targets (TP<0.05mg/L) under 50% reduction of aquaculture areas. The mass budget results of TN and TP showed that TP immobilisation was larger than TN immobilisation. The immobilisations for TN and TP from July to September were higher than those of other months under the combined impacts of increasing runoff during the wet period, phytoplankton bloom and water residence time. The 2D water quality model provided a relevant example for assessing the effects of runoff and aquaculture activities and served as scientific support for lake management to improve water quality in large shallow macrophytic lakes.

Keywords: Aquaculture; Immobilisation; Modelling; Nutrient transport; Water quality.