Macrophytes shift phytoplankton community in mesocosms II

Comparative study of six emergent macrophyte species for controlling cyanobacterial blooms in a tropical reservoir

Aquatic systems
Changing biodiversity
Ecological Engineering 2019
Authors

Maxine A.D. Mowe

Yiluan Song

Darren Z.H. Sim

Joy Lu

Simon M. Mitrovic

Hugh T.W. Tan

Darren C.J. Yeo

Published

January 17, 2019

Keywords

global change biology, environmental data science, aquatic plants, mesocosm, water quality, cyanobacteria, phytoplankton, community composition, restoration

Paper

Highlights

  • We identified macrophyte species for restoration of tropical reservoirs.
  • All six species reduced cyanobacteria and increased cryptomonads at high density.
  • Ludwigia adscendens and Persicaria barbata reduced chlorophyll a concentrations.
  • Effective densities were found to be above 0.40 dry weight g/L.

Change in chlorophyll a concentration over the course of the experiment in the control and macrophyte treatment groups.

Relative biovolume of the cyanobacteria, green algae, cryptomonads and other phytoplankton taxa in the control and macrophyte treatment groups.

Shift in phytoplankton community composition in the control and Ludwigia adscendens treatments.

NMDS of the relative biovolumes of phytoplankton genera in the control and Persicaria barbata treatments.