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Chemical compositions of rainwater collected in three stations in Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province, China between March and May 2003 were analyzed through numerical simulations and field observation data. In terms of average ion deposition rate in spring at the air/water interface, of all anions, that of SO42− was the largest followed by NO3−, whereas among all cations, Ca2+ concentration and the rate was the largest, and then NH4+ was the next. The correlation of ion concentration indicated that the catchment of the lake has been artificially polluted considerably. Using backward trajectory analysis, the raining water in the stations in Taihu Lake was classified. In spring, marine-originated rain is the main contribution to this area, counting for 92.7% of the total precipitation, in which SO42−, NO3− and NH4− contributed 89.2%, 88.1%, and 88.3% respectively to the total spring-rain chemicals, whereas land-originated rains contributed in a small amount. However, the ion concentration in the land-originated rain was higher and acidic, causing considerable harm to local ecosystem. The analysis of backward trajectory analysis shows that three types of air masses influenced the chemical composition of the lake water, namely, air mass from NE direction, air mass from SW direction, and local air mass. Although the local air masses often produced small rainfall amount, but the nature of high ion concentration and high acidity impacted the local ecosystem rmmarkably. The ion concentration and rainfall from long-distance boreal air mass are clearly greater than those in austral air.

The phosphorus fractions, the alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and other water chemical parameters were concomitantly monitored from April 2003 to October 2004 in different ecotype sites of Lake Taihu. During the stages of algae growth, the phosphorus fractions and their relationships with APA in different ecotype sites were discussed and the phosphorus mineralization rate was calculated. In the water of Lake Taihu, most of the phosphorus (70.2%) could be attributed to the suspended particulate phosphorus, while the dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) seems to contribute less than 7%. About 58% of the total phosphorus, however, can be hydrolyzed as inorganic phosphate to compensate for phosphorus deficiency of algae and bacteria growth. During the different algae growth stages, the APA and its Kinetic parameters were varied significantly between different ecotype sites of Lake Taihu. This trend is also visible by comparing the phosphorus mineralization rate, and the most rapidly phosphorus turnover time is only several minutes. The fast recycle of phosphorus can, to some extent, be explained that the phosphorus source of algal blooms. The phytoplankton seems to compensate for phosphorus deficiency by using the alkaline phosphatase to hydrolyze phosphomonoesters.

Based on three continuous in situ underwater light field measurement under different wind waves conditions in Longgan Lake, Meiliang Bay of Taihu Lake in July 2003 and littoral zone near TLLER in July 2004, respectively, the effects of sediment resuspension caused by wind waves on PAR diffuse attenuation, absorption coefficients and euphotic depths are analyzed. In Longgan Lake, PAR diffuse attenuation coefficients during small, middle and large wind waves were 1.74, 2.02 and 2.45 m−1, respectively, and the corresponding PAR spectral diffuse attenuations ranged from 0.98 to 2.97, 1.34 to 3.95 and 1.80 to 5.40 m−1, respectively. In Meiliang Bay, PAR diffuse attenuation coefficients were 2.63, 3.72, 4.37 m−1 during small, middle and large wind waves. PAR diffuse attenuation coefficients increased by 41% and 66% from small to middle, large wind waves, respectively. Absorption coefficients integrated over the range of PAR of CDOM, phytoplankton were 0.26, 0.28 m−1; 0.76, 0.49 m−1, respectively during middle and large wind waves. Absorption coefficients integrated over the range of PAR of non-algal particulate matter and total suspended particulate matter increased from 0.94 to 1.73 m−1, and from 1.70 to 2.22 m−1, respectively during middle and large wind waves. Relative contributions of absorption coefficients of non-algal particulate matter to total absorption coefficient integrated over the range of PAR were 44.14%, 65.05%, respectively, during middle and large wind waves. PAR euphotic depths decreased by 0.40, 0.19, 0.20 m from middle to large wind waves in Longganhu Lake, Meliang Bay and littoral zone near TLLER. Significant correlations were found between transparency, PAR diffuse attenuation coefficients, euphotic depths and total suspended particulate matter, wind velocity, wave height. Most significant correlations were found between transparency, PAR diffuse attenuation coefficients, euphotic depths and inorganic suspended particulate matter but low correlations for chlorophyll a, dissolved organic carbon. Increase of total suspended particulate matter, especially inorganic suspended particulate matter caused by wind waves was the dominant factor affecting underwater light field in shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River based on observations at three stations.

Forms of phosphorus in sediments from 25 lakes in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River were analyzed by the sequential extraction procedure. Contents and spatial distrubution of algal available phosphorus (AAP) in sediments of Lake Taihu, the third largest freshwater lake of China, were also studied. Relationships between phosphorus forms in sediment and macrophytes coverage in sample sites, as well as phosphorus forms in sediments and chlorophyal contents in lake water were discussed. Exchangeable form of phosphorus (Ex-P) in surface sediments was significantly positive correlative to total phosphorus (TP), dissolved total phosphorus (DTP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) contents in the lake water. Bioavailable phosphorus (Bio-P) contents in sediments from macrophytes dominant sites were significantly lower than that in no macrophyte sites. In Lake Taihu, Ex-P content in top 3 cm sediment was highest. However, content of ferric fraction phosphorus (Fe-P) was highest in 4–10 cm. Bioavalilble phosphorus (Bio-P) contents in surface sediments positively correlated to Chlorophyll a contents in water of Lake Taihu with significant difference. Therefore, contents of Bio-P and AAP could be acted as the indicators of risks of internal release of phosphorus in the shallow lakes. It was estimated that there were 268.6 ton AAP in top 1 cm sediments in Lake Taihu. Sediment suspension caused by strong wind-induced wave disturbance could carry plenty of AAP into water in large shallow lakes like Lake Taihu.

Influence of wave on sediment resuspension and nutrients release from sediments, collected from Lake Taihu and Lake Chaohu, was studied in flume experiments. Under strong-wave conditions, concentrations of suspended solids (SS), total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved total phosphorus (DTP) in overlying water were increased significantly following the sediments re-suspension. During the experiments on sediments of Lake Taihu and Lake Chaohu, TP concentrations increased 6 times and 3 times, and DTP concentration increased 100% and 70% more than it in presuspension, respectively. Concentration of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) of experiment on sediment of Lake Taihu increased 25%. During the massive sediment suspension, the dissolved phosphorus in pore water and much of the phosphorus adsorbed by the sediment particles were released into overlying water. The phenomena in this wave flume experiment are quite similar to the situation observed in situ of Lake Taihu. The critical wave stresses of sediment re-suspension are nearly equal. The change of concentrations of SS, TP, and SRP was the same as that in situ situation. This study showed that concentrations of TP and SRP in lake water could be increased significantly by wave disturbance. Phosphorus release was significantly enhanced by wave disturbance at the beginning of massive sediment re-suspension, but decreased later.

This paper is a review of research works concerning the nutrient transportation, transformation and exchange between water, sediment and biota in the lakes from the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River conducted in the context of project entitled “The Processes and Mechanism of Lake Eutrophication in Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River”. All the lakes from this area are shallow lakes. According to the typical lake site research, the lakes from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River have a higher baseline of nutrition in the history. Normally the trophic status of these lakes can be categorized into medium-trophic or eutrophic Human activities have been enhanced during the last decades, which speed up the lake eutrophic process. Lake eutrophication control needs to reduce not only the external nutrient inputs from watershed but also the internal loading from the sediments. Investigations revealed that the lake sediments in this area are considerablly high in nutrition in which at most about 30% of phosphorus exists in the form of bio-available in the sediment. The surface sediment will exert great effects on the nutrient exchange between water-sediment interface via adsorption and release of nutrient. The nutrient release from the sediment in these shallow lakes is mainly in two ways, i.e. in the undisturbed condition the nutrient is released through diffusion created by the nutrient gradient from sediment to overlying water; whereas in disturbed condition, the nutrient release is determined by the hydrodynamic forcing intensity and the sediment resuspension. Metallic elements such as the iron, manganese and aluminium and the aerobic-anaerobic ambience will affect the release of nutrients. The disturbed release will increase the total nutrients in the water column significantly in the short period. At the beginning of sediment resuspension, the dissolved nutrient concentration will increase. This increase will be damped if the ferric oxide and aluminium are rich in sediment because of the adsorption and flocculation. This means that the lakes have capability of eliminating the nutrient loadings. Investigations for the lakes from middle and down stream of Yangtze River have suggested that most lakes have the self-cleaning capability. Dredging the control of the internal loading, therefore, is only applicable to the small lakes or undisturbed bays which normally are situated nearby the city or town and rich in organic materials in the sediment. In addition, the strong reduction condition and weak aeration of these lakes and bays make these small lakes and bays release much more bio-available nutrient and without much self-eliminating capability. Moreover, eutrophication induced algal bloom in these lakes will change the pH of water, which further induces the increase in the nutrient release. In turn, the increase in nutrient release promotes the growth of phytoplankton and results in severe algal bloom. For the heavily polluted water, research suggests that the biomass of bacteria and alkaline phosphatase activity will be higher corresponding to the higher concentration of nutrients, which accelerates the nutrient recycling between water, sediment and biota. Quick recycling of nutrient, in turn, promotes the production and biomass growth of microorganism and leads to more severe eutrophication. Further research work should focus on the nutrient transformation mechanism and the effects of microbial loop on the eutrophication.

Variation of wind speed and the physico-chemical parameters, such as dissolved phosphate, ferrous and manganese in lake water were observed on site. Together with the chemistry analysis and simulated experiment in lab, the change of phosphate concentration in lake water was analyzed. The variation of ferrous/phosphate ratio explained that along with the enhancement of wind-wave effect and the oxidation ability of lake water, the effects of co-precipitation and removal of dissolved phosphate and iron in the lake water were reinforced. The ferrous/phosphate ratio in pore water was less than 2.0, demonstrating that the dissolved phosphate can be released into the overlying water. But, in the lake water, the stability of phosphate was controlled by the water dynamics. The phosphate release experiment showed that molecular release was only part of the whole and the direct discharge of phosphate in the pore water was also a part. The mineralization and biological process of suspended particulates in the water may be another important reason for the whole phosphate loadings.

By using the data of underwater irradiance measured in the different lake regions of Lake Taihu during 1998-2004 and total suspended solids (TSS), wind speeds of the total 13 stations in typical lake regions during 1993-2003, this paper analyzes the factors of influencing on PAR (pho- tosynthetically available radiation) attenuation, euphotic depth, and presents the temporal and spatial variations of euphotic depth of typical lake regions in Lake Taihu, and the spectral distributions of euphotic depth at station 2. The results show that the concentration of TSS is the most important factor impacting PAR attenuation, followed by chlorophyll a; chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) has little impact on the PAR euphotic depth. During 1993-2003, the mean yearly PAR eu- photic depths of the typical lake regions ranged from 1.04 to 1.95 m with a mean value of 1.35±0.23 m. The PAR euphotic depth fell into 3 spatial zone types: Type I, the lowest, including the lake center and the inflows of rivers; Type II, intermediate, including Meiliang Bay, Wulihu Lake and Gonghu Bay; Type III, the greatest, including the East Lake Taihu; corresponding mean depths were approximately 1.1, 1.4, 2.0 m, respectively. The seasonal variations of euphotic depths were not quite the same in different lake regions. In the lake center, the mean values of PAR euphotic depth in summer and au- tumn were significantly greater than those in winter and spring; in the Meiliang Bay, winter means were significantly greater than in the other three seasons; in the East Lake Taihu, winter means were significantly less than in the other three seasons. However, no distinct seasonal change was recorded in the Wulihu Lake, Gonghu Bay and the inflows of rivers. The spectral distributions of euphotic depth present a minimal value at the blue light wave band of 400 nm, and a peak at the green light wave band of around 580 nm. In 1998 and 1999, based on the seasonal many-day continuous measure- ments, the PAR euphotic depths at station 2 were recorded 2.00±0.21, 2.52±0.45, 1.58±0.24, 2.00 ±0.15 m in spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively. The peak value of 440 nm absorbed by phytoplankton corresponded to a euphotic depth of only 0.81-1.47 m (mean 1.07±0.29 m), which was much lower than the mean PAR euphotic depth of 1.98±0.41 m.

The mainstreams of lake optics research in recent decades include optical properties of lakewater, observation, transmission and calculation of underwater radiation, determination of absorption coefficient S of yellow substance, influence of UV-B radiation of lake primary productivity by bio-optical model. Major lake optics applications, such as calculation of lake primary productivity and chl-a, analysis of factors restricting eutrophication, and protection against lake eutrophication are summarized.

The data utilized in this analysis consisted of extraterrestrial radiation, global radiation, diffuse radiation, direct radiation, total cloud cover and relative sunshine. The annual variations and trend were analyzed for monthly mean daily total global, direct, and diffuse radiation on a horizontal surface and for the relations between global, direct, diffuse radiation and relative sunshine, total cloud cover. The climatological calculation equations of global and direct radiation are put forward. The results show that global and direct radiations are characterized by decrease and diffuse radiation by increase. The main causes are due to the increase of concentration of suspended particles and atmospheric turbidities rather than cloud cover variations.

Qinghai Lake, the biggest saline lake in China, is a mountainous lake located in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and has a closed drainage basin. Since the beginning of this century, the lake level has dropped significantly and the lake area has shrunk dramatically. Water balance analysis showed that the water budget deficit associated with decreased runoff was the main reason for the falling of lake level. In order to investigate the changes of hydrological conditions within the lake basin, a catchment model coupled with a lake thermodynamic model was developed to simulate the lake water balance and thermodynamics. The simulated water balance and lake level are quite consistent with observations. This model can be used to evaluate hydrological condition changes induced by external foreing such as climate changes.

The rapid shrinkage of the surface area reflects the long-term deficit water budget of Qinghai Lake. Study of the yearly hydrology and meteorology in the lake catchment basin and the hydrologic factors as well as water budget led to the conclusion that evaporation exceeding the water input resulted in the drop of lake level, that the obvious decrease of runoff to the lake and precipitation on the catchment accelerated the falling of lake level before 1987, and that increase of about 6.7% in rainfall on the whole basin will balance the lake's water budget.

The evolution of the inland lakes in arid and semi-arid zones is accorded with the climatic fluctuation. The humid climate is in harmony with the higher water level and greater lake water quantity budget while arid climate is in correspondence with the lower water level and little water budget. Based on the analysis of the lake fluctuation and lake budget change, with the aid of the data of geomorphology, palynology, sedimentology and chronology, It is found that the climate experienced a warm and humid period during 7000—3500 yr. B. P. and showed a drying and warming trend in the last century in the Central Asia.