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To date, seasonal dynamics of the denitrifying bacterial community in floodplain lakes is unknown. Here, we investigated the alpha diversity, abundance and composition of the sediment nirS-type denitrifying bacteria in Poyang Lake during the wet, mid-dry and dry seasons using Illumina MiSeq sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. The results showed that only a small part of the total operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were shared by the three seasons. OTU richness, Chao richness estimator and Shannon index exhibited higher values in the wet season than in the dry season. Some regular patterns of variation in the composition of the nirS-type denitrifying community at three classification levels (phylum, class and genus) were found among seasons. Community structures of nirS-type denitrifying bacteria were significantly different across seasons. In addition, the abundance of nirS gene showed no seasonal pattern. Total nitrogen, total phosphorous and pH were the most significant factors elucidating the compositional variation of the nirS-type denitrifying community. This study provided a new evidence for the ecological effects of seasonal water level fluctuations and improved our understanding of the nitrogen removal processes in floodplain lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water level fluctuations (WLFs) are typical characteristic of floodplain lakes and dominant forces regulating the structure and function of lacustrine ecosystems. The sediment diazotrophs play important roles in contributing bioavailable nitrogen to the aquatic environment. However, the relationship between the diazotrophic community and WLFs in floodplain lakes is unknown. In this paper, we carried out a comprehensive investigation on the alpha diversity, abundance, composition and co-occurrence network of the sediment diazotrophs during different water level phases in Poyang Lake. There were no regular variation patterns in the alpha diversity and abundance of the sediment diazotrophs with the water level phase transitions. The relative abundance of some diazotrophic phyla (including Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteri, Euryarchaeota, and Firmicutes) and genera (including Geobacter, Deferrisoma, Desulfuromonas, Rivicola, Paraburkholderia, Methylophilus, Methanothrix, Methanobacterium, and Clostridium) was found to change with the water level phase transitions. The results of ANOSIM, PerMANOVA, and DCA at the OTU level showed that the diazotrophic community structure in the low water level phase was significantly different from that in the two high water level phases, while there was no significant difference between the two high water level phases. These results indicated that the diazotrophic community was affected by the declining water level in terms of the composition, while the rising water level contributed to the recoveries of the diazotrophic community. The diazotrophs co-occurrence network was disrupted by the declining water level, but it was strengthened by the rising water level. Moreover, redundancy analysis showed that the variation of the diazotrophic community composition was mostly related to sediment total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP). Interestingly, the levels of sediment TN and TP were also found to vary with the water level phase transitions. Therefore, it might be speculated that the WLFs may influence the sediment TN and TP, and in turn influence the diazotrophic community composition. These data can contribute to broadening our understanding of the ecological impacts of WLFs and the nitrogen fixation process in floodplain lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study region: The Poyang Lake, which is located on the south bank of the middle-lower Yangtze River basin. The lake is the largest freshwater lake in China, and also a typical floodplain lake in the world. Study focus: The spatiotemporal heterogeneity of inundation dynamics of large floodplain lake system has not been paid enough attention. Based on the reconstructed high spatial and temporal resolution inundation dataset using the image fusion model and multi-source remote sensing data, this study systematically analyzed the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of inundation dynamics in the Poyang Lake- floodplain system. New hydrological insights for the region: It is found that within the same floodplain lake, the inundated area and inundation frequency in different regions of the lake (the main lake region and the adjacent floodplain region) can have asynchronous intra-annual fluctuation and opposite inter-annual change trend. This is highly related to the hydrological complexity of the lake: the relative impacts of catchment inflow and the Yangtze River varies in different regions across the lake. The stage-area relationship at the central station along the flow direction of the lake has the highest linear correlation, which might provide more accurate estimates of lake surface/volume. In addition, this study highlights the importance of reconstructed high spatial-temporal resolution of remote sensing data for the accurate assessment of inundation dynamics in floodplain lakes. All the results enrich the understanding of complex hydrological regime of large floodplain lakes and are valuable for the practice of water resources management and ecological conservation in such lakes.

Seasonal water level fluctuations in floodplain lakes are known to alter carbon transport, yet it is unclear how such changes affect microbially mediated carbon metabolism. Poyang Lake is a typical floodplain lake linked to the Yangtze River and is significantly affected by water level fluctuations. In this study, we examined the differences of soil organic matter (SOM) properties, bacterial communities and carbon metabolic functions between dry (March) and wet (August) seasons in lake centre, delta and floodplain from Poyang Lake. Generally, the SOM properties (quantity and quality) and microbially mediated carbon metabolism in the three types of sampling areas have undergone greater changes from dry to wet season than bacterial community. Structural equation modelling and variation partition analysis indicated that SOM properties contributed more in shaping the carbon metabolism of microorganisms than bacterial community structures, especially in lake centre. Dry–wet seasonal changes of microbially mediated carbon metabolism in lake centre were mainly affected by amide C=O1650 and aliphatic C‐H2850, 2924, while the delta and floodplain were mainly affected by aromatic C‐O1234. Furthermore, we also found that bacterial community composition could better explain the effects of seasonal hydrology on carbon metabolism, rather than the diversity and assembly processes. We highlight that studies on tightly coupled changes in SOM and microbially mediated carbon metabolism can enhance the understanding of soil carbon dynamics across the floodplain lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim Long-term ecological research often integrates many research groups and subjects in one or few sites sampled systematically along the time. In the Amazon, there is a tradition of long-term research in terrestrial habitats, but this has been less common in floodplain lakes. This study systematically reviews 35 years of research (1988-2022) in Batata Lake, a clear water flood plain lake impacted by bauxite mining tailings for ten years (1979-1989) and discuss some research opportunities and challenges for the future. Methods The review covered 99 scientific reports (78 papers and 21 book chapters) comprising a large spectrum of data from snapshot observations and experiments to enduring quarterly observational and hypothesis-testing studies. Soil, sediments, and the water column were consistently sampled in natural and impacted areas. Results Research topics were quite diverse and covered biological communities from aquatic virus to igapó flooded forests and provided an overview of ecological processes such as primary and secondary production. Ecological variables monitored along the project were constrained by a strong seasonality of the flood pulse and the effect of sampling areas (natural and impacted), which was performed by very connected research groups. Conclusions Despite the extensive information, long-term ecosystem function trends are still incomplete.

As human activities intensify and global climate change accelerates, floodplain lakes are experiencing hydrological transformations that profoundly impact their ecology. Based on an extensive review of published literature, current knowledge of floodplain lakes and links between hydrology and ecology are summarized and synthesized. River-lake interactions determine hydrological conditions in floodplain lakes, with high spatial heterogeneity influenced by topography, geophysical properties, and climate. Seasonal fluctuations in water level and hydrological connectivity affect the community structure of aquatic organisms and biogeochemical processes. The interplay of floods and terrain shapes vegetation dynamics. Hydrological regimes sustain the quantity and quality of habitats, along with food resources for waterbirds and other organisms. Although certain species have adaptive capacities to changing hydrology through life history strategies, behavioral modifications, or physiological adjustments, long-term pressures from reservoir construction, intensive land use, and other human activities appear to be inducing cumulative, non-linear impacts that may push these ecosystems towards critical thresholds. Sustained pressures increase the risk of regime shifts, threatening ecosystem functionality. Current research often overlooks the complex interactions and feedbacks within ecosystems, leading to uncertain predictions regarding species resilience and ecosystem function. Existing methods are insufficient for fully integrating both short-term disturbances and long-term pressure. Advancing understanding of species adaptations across different temporal scales remains a priority, highlighting the need for more comprehensive frameworks for biodiversity conservation that effectively account for changing environment. Future efforts should focus on comprehensive in-situ monitoring and observation strategies, jointly with the application of advanced mathematical models, to enhance our understanding of ecology of floodplain lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last twenty years, the number of projects aimed at river restoration and rehabilitation increased significantly. In the city it is impossible to provide full river restoration, but at the same time it is possible to create a comfortable natural environment both for flora and fauna and for the citizens. In our work it was assessed the possibility of the floodplain restoration by the water replenishment of the dry old riverbed during the vegetation season on the example of the river inside the city. The simulation of the current state allowed to verify the main parameters of the model with the existing observations of the water levels in the river and lake and water levels in the wells located in the park. The river – floodplain interaction was simulated: floodplain was separated from the river by the flood control dyke, the water replenishment of the lake and the old riverbed was due to seepage (current state); the connection of the floodplain with the river by the culvert and the replenishment of the lake and the old riverbed with surface river water. The simulation showed that the lake isolated from the river is filled to a depth of not more than 0.5 m, the old riverbed is filled with water only during spring floods. The water balance calculations of the lake showed that in the conditions of isolation from the river, the lake volume is significantly affected by precipitation and evaporation from the lake water surface area. The connection of the lake with the river surface water reduces the impact of the vertical components of the water balance, at the same time increases the seepage losses from the lake because of the water level raising. The connection of the river with the floodplain makes it possible to replenish the old riverbed and the lake in the mean year, but in the dry years the water level in the lake does not allow to replenish the old riverbed during the vegetation season. Calculations showed that to be able to keep the constant water level in the lake and old riverbed, it is necessary to increase the water level in the lake.

The spatial distribution of ciliate assemblages was studied in a shallow floodplain lake with a sharp division of space by oxygen conditions. The surface zone occupied by the "carpet" of Lemna trisulca and L. minor was characterized by a large daily amplitude of oxygen content with periodic exceeding of 100% of saturation; the underlying water layer was characterized by microaerobic conditions throughout most of the year, with seasonal deviations towards oxygen-free conditions (in winter and mid-summer) or increased oxygen content (before freezing and after ice melt); stable oxygen-free conditions were maintained in the bottom layer of water and at the bottom of the lake. There were 111 species of ciliated protozoa recorded in the lake. The ciliated protozoa were clearly structured and formed three almost non-overlapping assemblages in terms of species composition, which retained their isolation during all seasons of the year. On the basis of the analysis performed using the R indicspecies package, species of ciliated protozoa were identified as indicators of conditions with different oxygen regimes, which are determined by the level of organic pollution and the distribution of photosynthetic organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve our understanding on the temporal aspects of metacommunity structure, we focused on benthic macroinvertebrates collected seasonally (i.e., wet, drying, dry and rewetting seasons) in Dongting Lake, a large subtropical floodplain lake in China. We employed the elements of metacommunity structure (EMS) framework and variation partitioning to examine whether metacommunity structure and its underlying mechanisms vary among seasons with distinct biotic and abiotic features. We found gradual shifts in the main assembly mechanisms throughout the year, from apparent spatial structuring (potentially indicative of mass effects) in the wet season to more environmental filtering dynamics in the dry season. When the degree of connectivity was high in the wet season, the benthic metacommunity was characterized by nested structure associated with clumped species loss, and was shaped mainly by spatial processes. However, quasi-Clemensian structure was assigned to metacommunities in the transitional seasons with intermediate connectivity, during which environmental variables were more important than spatial factors in describing community structure. When the degree of connectivity was low in the dry season, the benthic metacommunity displayed Clementsian structure, which was configured solely by environmental variables. The rapid shifts in metacommunity dynamics between seasons mainly result from the considerable changes in the hydrological conditions of Dongting Lake, as the studied system varies from lacustrine to fluvial phases within a single year. Taken together, our results revealed that taking temporal aspects into account gives a better insight into metacommunity organization, especially when the studied systems embrace remarkable variability in hydrological regimes.

Floodplain lakes are ecosystems characterised by annual flood and dry cycles. Fish ecology is influenced by the flood pulse due to the large influx of allochthonous food resources and diversification of habitats during the flood cycle, while during the dry cycle, fishes tend to be confined in reduced habitat. The aim of this study was to evaluate the seasonal variation in trophic niche width and overlap of four species—Mylossoma duriventre, Prochilodus nigricans, Cichla.pleiozona and Serrasalmus rhombeus—in an Amazonian floodplain lake. Stable isotope analyses were used to estimate trophic niche width and overlap during the flood and dry seasons. We hypothesised broader niche width for all species during the flood cycle and a higher degree of overlap between the two piscivorous fishes during the dry cycle. Isotopic niche width was 72% broader for P. nigricans, 61% for S. rhombeus and 54% for C. pleiozona during the dry cycle, which did not support our hypothesis. Core niche width overlaps were not observed between piscivorous species in either flood or dry cycle. The results indicate that seasonal variation in isotopic niche width is specific to feeding habit. Understanding how fish trophic ecology responds to changes in the hydrological regime during the seasons is crucial for sustainable fishery management in a region where many people rely heavily on fish for nutritional and economic purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining is an important economic activity that can have severe impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Plankton communities are commonly used as bioindicators of human‐related threats to freshwater environments due to their rapid response to environmental conditions changes. Here, we used zooplankton functional diversity to understand the recovery patterns of an Amazonian lake impacted by mining activity (input of bauxite tailings) after 30 years of natural attenuation and active restoration processes. Zooplankton species richness and functional diversity (Rao's quadratic entropy—FDQ and community‐level weighted means of trait values—CWM) were compared in impacted and reference areas during the flood period, in March 2015. We found a significant negative influence of turbidity on zooplankton FDQ, and similar FDQ and CWM values between the active restoration area and the reference area. These results suggest a positive effect of vegetation restoration efforts for the zooplankton community of Batata Lake. We demonstrated the utility of zooplankton functional diversity metrics as bioindicators of freshwater restoration, the response of the aquatic ecosystem to vegetation restoration and, consequently, water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last twenty years, the number of projects aimed at river restoration and rehabilitation increased significantly. In the city it is impossible to provide full river restoration, but at the same time it is possible to create a comfortable natural environment both for flora and fauna and for the citizens. In our work it was assessed the possibility of the floodplain restoration by the water replenishment of the dry old riverbed during the vegetation season on the example of the river inside the city. The simulation of the current state allowed to verify the main parameters of the model with the existing observations of the water levels in the river and lake and water levels in the wells located in the park. The several models of the river - floodplain interaction were simulated: floodplain was separated from the river by the flood control dyke, the water replenishment of the lake and the old riverbed was due to seepage (current state); the connection of the floodplain with the river by the culvert and the replenishment of the lake and the old riverbed with surface river water. The simulation showed that the lake isolated from the river is filled to a depth of not more than 0.5 m, the old riverbed is filled with water only during spring floods. The water balance calculations of the lake showed that in the conditions of isolation from the river, the lake volume is significantly affected by precipitation and evaporation from the lake water surface area. The connection of the lake with the river surface water significantly reduces the impact of the vertical components of the water balance, at the same time increases the seepage losses from the lake because of the water level raising. The connection of the river with the floodplain makes it possible to replenish the old riverbed and the lake in the mean year, but in the dry years the water level in the lake does not allow to replenish the old riverbed during the vegetation season. Calculations showed that to be able to keep the constant water level in the lake and old riverbed, it is necessary to increase the water level in the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of studies of the fish fauna of the floodplain lake Sanderka, during which 15 species of fish were identified, which is 60% of the fish fauna composition common for the bayou waters of the Sura river. The species represented in the studied lake belong to the five faunal complexes. This indicates a preserved ecosystem of the lake, compared with other water bodies of this type. Of the 15 fish species identified in the lake Sanderka, five are valuable commercial fish. It has been established that the dominant species in the studied lake is roach, the rudd is also numerous, the number of bream is rather high. Despite the proximity of human settlements and thanks to the uniqueness of its ecosystem, lake Sanderka has preserved the biodiversity of the fish population. It can serve as a reference water body in the organization of monitoring studies of the fish fauna of the bayou lakes of the Penza Region and the Republic of Mordovia.

The spatial distribution of ciliate assemblages was studied in a shallow floodplain lake with a sharp division of space by oxygen conditions. The surface zone occupied by the “carpet” of Lemna trisulca and L. minor was characterized by a large daily amplitude of oxygen content with periodic exceeding of 100% of saturation; the underlying water layer was characterized by microaerobic conditions throughout most of the year, with seasonal deviations towards oxygen-free conditions (in winter and mid-summer) or increased oxygen content (before freezing and after ice melt); stable oxygen-free conditions were maintained in the bottom layer of water and at the bottom of the lake. There were 111 species of ciliated protozoa recorded in the lake. The ciliated protozoa were clearly structured and formed three almost non-overlapping assemblages in terms of species composition, which retained their isolation during all seasons of the year. On the basis of the analysis performed using the R indicspecies package, species of ciliated protozoa were identified as indicators of conditions with different oxygen regimes, which are determined by the level of organic pollution and the distribution of photosynthetic organisms.

Introduction: studies reveal that Amazon region is vulnerable to climatic extremes such as droughts, in this context, remote sensing, together with other spatial analysis tools, has been widely used for monitoring environmental activities, including this natural phenomenon, and continuously improving measurements, spatial and temporally. Objective: to monitor the effects of an extreme drought on the hydric seasonality of the Curuaí lake system, Amazon River, Pará state, Brazil; through the use of geotechnologies such as remote sensing and GIS. Methods: the present work made use of a Landsat-5 time series, flow and drought period in 2010; with application of NDWI - Normalized Water Difference Index, and subsequent vectorization of the contour of this water body, to determine the percentage of reduction in the water depth area in the most significant months, and compilation of associated information. Results: The NDWI on the time series showed satisfactory results in enhancing the aquatic surface, allowing the zoning of these areas and comparing their reductive percentage, which showed potentially harmful effects, with a reduction from 1,524 km² to 338, 851 km². Conclusion: The applied index obtained satisfactory results, showing how these geotechnologies, and their information extraction techniques, can be effective in monitoring potentially harmful natural phenomena over the study region; therefore, through more advanced studies, they can be effective for planning strategies to mitigate these impacts on the diverse ecosystems of the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floodplains play a significant role in affecting the transport of water, dissolved matter and sediments during wide-ranging drying and wetting. This study uses a hydrodynamic model and geostatistical method to explore the variations of water storage and its relationship with the surface hydrological connectivity, exemplified by the large Poyang Lake-floodplain system (in China). The simulations show that the floodplain storage exhibits largely similar behavior to that of the total lake water storage, but the water storage in the main lake is distinctly higher than the floodplains. The lake storage is estimated to be from 20 × 108 to 163 × 108 m3 and differs considerably between seasons, and the contribution of the floodplain to the total lake storage varies from 18 to 34%. Geostatistical analysis reveals that the degree of surface hydrological connectivity can be classified as high connectivity in summer, low connectivity in winter, and intermediate connectivity during other seasons. Higher variability of water storage and lower frequency of hydrological connectivity are found in the seasonal floodplains, whereas the lower variability and higher frequency are observed in the main lake, indicating that water storage is inextricably linked to the dynamic behaviors of surface hydrological connectivity. Additionally, the estimated water storage significantly increases from the low and intermediate conditions to the high connectivity condition, mainly due to the key process of the west–east connectivity in controlling lake-floodplain interactions. This study improves understanding of Poyang Lake floodplain behavior and other similar floodplain systems by providing knowledge of water balance, water allocation and water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the few remaining lakes that are freely connected with the Yangtze River, Poyang Lake exhibits large annual water level (WL) fluctuations. In this study, weekly samples were collected at the north end of Poyang Lake from September 2011 to December 2012, and we investigated the mechanism of limnological responses to fluctuations in the WL. The study covers three seasons that were associated with WL fluctuations ranging from 8 to 19 m. Spearman's rank correlations and multivariate non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses indicated that low and high WL periods differed in a number of water quality characteristics. The low WL period coincided with the non-growing season and was associated with the peak concentrations of nitrogen, the highest turbidity (Turb), and the lowest water temperature. The high WL period was mainly characterized by enhanced chlorophyll a concentration. Spearman's rank correlations revealed positive relationships between the WL and the concentrations of NO3-N and PO4-P and negative relationships between the WL and the Turb, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, NO2-N, and NH4-N concentrations. All results support the conclusion that the large WL fluctuations are the principal drivers for physicochemical variables in this floodplain lake ecosystem.

Water level fluctuations (WLFs) are typical characteristic of floodplain lakes and dominant forces regulating the structure and function of lacustrine ecosystems. The sediment diazotrophs play important roles in contributing bioavailable nitrogen to the aquatic environment. However, the relationship between the diazotrophic community and WLFs in floodplain lakes is unknown. In this paper, we carried out a comprehensive investigation on the alpha diversity, abundance, composition and co-occurrence network of the sediment diazotrophs during different water level phases in Poyang Lake. There were no regular variation patterns in the alpha diversity and abundance of the sediment diazotrophs with the water level phase transitions. The relative abundance of some diazotrophic phyla (including Alphaproteobacteria , Deltaproteobacteri , Euryarchaeota , and Firmicutes ) and genera (including Geobacter , Deferrisoma , Desulfuromonas , Rivicola , Paraburkholderia , Methylophilus , Methanothrix , Methanobacterium , and Clostridium ) was found to change with the water level phase transitions. The results of ANOSIM, PerMANOVA, and DCA at the OTU level showed that the diazotrophic community structure in the low water level phase was significantly different from that in the two high water level phases, while there was no significant difference between the two high water level phases. These results indicated that the diazotrophic community was affected by the declining water level in terms of the composition, while the rising water level contributed to the recoveries of the diazotrophic community. The diazotrophs co-occurrence network was disrupted by the declining water level, but it was strengthened by the rising water level. Moreover, redundancy analysis showed that the variation of the diazotrophic community composition was mostly related to sediment total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP). Interestingly, the levels of sediment TN and TP were also found to vary with the water level phase transitions. Therefore, it might be speculated that the WLFs may influence the sediment TN and TP, and in turn influence the diazotrophic community composition. These data can contribute to broadening our understanding of the ecological impacts of WLFs and the nitrogen fixation process in floodplain lakes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wu, Wang, Chen, Zou and Zhu.)

The aim of this study was to determine microcrustacean secondary production (P/B) and a herbivory ratio (ZB:PB) in the River Danube and a floodplain lake to reveal models in plankton food web functioning. P/B was used to assess population variation under different environmental conditions, while ZB:PB provided information on the zooplankton grazing intensity on algae. Seasonal changes, displayed by the hydrological regime, i.e., related water level fluctuation, were expected to explain different plankton patterns between the study sites as a result of unlike community composition and food quality. The structural equation modelling we used identified specific pathways of measured indexes at the individual localities. Although the direct impact of water level fluctuation on the studied communities was low, the following difference in abiotic components might have caused shifts in zooplankton assemblages that changed P/B and ZB:PB ratios. In the floodplain lake, P/B was primarily influenced by biotic components, and herbivory alteration was expressed through top-down control. On the contrary, P/B in the riverine system was controlled by an environmental element and herbivory was driven by the bottom-up resources. The results show the usefulness of the studied indexes in determining variations of zooplankton functional processes in the hydrologically dynamic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floodplain lakes represent important aquatic ecosystems, and field‐based estimates of their water budgets are difficult to obtain, especially over multiple years. We examine the hydrological fluxes for an Amazon floodplain lake connected to the Solimões River using a process‐based hydrologic model. Water exchanges between the river and lake agree well with field estimates, including the timing of different hydrological phases. However, beyond available field data, modeling results show that the seven simulated years all differed from each other. These interannual differences were caused by the interplay between phases when water levels were rising with river‐water flowing into the lake (RWRI), versus rising with lake‐water flowing out to the river (RWLO). This exchange determines the river‐water content in the lake (CL). Maximum CL occurred before river levels peaked because local catchment contributions can be sufficient to push lake‐water out to the river, even as river levels rise. Numerical experiments show that the seasonal distribution of local rainfall, local catchment size, and interannual variability in both climate and river stage can contribute to differing dynamics of CL in a floodplain lake. Their impacts vary among phases: river‐rise dominates the RWRI, whereas local hydrological processes dominate the RWLO and receding‐water phases. Intermediate‐to‐long‐term rainfall accumulation controls CL during the RWLO phase, whereas annual precipitation accumulation is important for CL during low water. Our model generalizes beyond limited available field studies and offers potential to better understand floodplain lakes in other areas and how regional versus local changes in climate may affect their hydrological dynamics. Key Points: Each year of modeled water exchanges between the Solimões and a floodplain lake differed as the river stage interacted with the local runoffPerturbed runs show 10‐month rainfall accumulation and the rate of seasonal river rise as strong controls of river‐water contentClimate type, basin area, and interannual rainfall variability all have important but seasonally varying influences on river‐water content [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floodplain lakes are valuable to humans because of their various functions and are characterized by dramatic hydrological condition variations. In this study, a two-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic and water quality model was applied in a large floodplain lake (i.e., Poyang Lake), to investigate spatial and temporal water quality variations. The model was established based on detailed data such as lake terrain, hydrological, and water quality. Observed lake water level and discharge and water quality parameters (TN, TP, CODMn, and NH4-N) were used to assess model performance. The hydrodynamic model results showed satisfactory results with R2 and MRE values ranging between 0.96 and 0.99 and between 2.45 and 6.14%, respectively, for lake water level simulations. The water quality model basically captured the temporal variations in water quality parameters with R2 of TN, TP, CODMn, and NH4-N simulation ranges of 0.56-0.91, 0.44-0.66, 0.64-0.67, and 0.44-0.57, respectively, with TP of Xingzi Station and CODMn of Duchang Station excluded, which may be further optimized with supplementation of sewage and industrial discharge data. The modeled average TN, TP, CODMn, and NH4-N concentrations across the lake were 1.36, 0.05, 1.99, and 0.48 mg/L, respectively. The modeled spatial variations of the lake showed that the main channel of the lake acted as a main pollutant passageway, and the east part of the lake suffered high level of pollution. In addition, consistent with previous water quality evaluations based on field investigations, water quality was the highest (average TN = 1.35 mg/L) during high water level periods and the poorest (average TN = 1.96 mg/L) during low water level periods. Scenario analysis showed that by decreasing discharge of upstream flow by 20% could result in the increase of TN and TP concentrations by 25.6% and 23.2% respectively. In summary, the model successfully reproduced the complex water and pollutant exchange processes in the systems involving upstream rivers, the Poyang Lake, and the Yangtze River. The model is beneficial for future modeling of the impact of different load reduction and other hydrological regime changes on water quality variation and provides a relevant example for floodplain lake management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Flow frequency distribution and sediment-transport rate were influenced by floodplain lake. • Frequency distribution of medium-high flow agreed well with broken power law. • Sediment-transport rating curve deviated from power law at high flow. • Effective discharges decreased by 10%–20% indicating flood channel shrinkage. In natural quasi-equilibrium rivers or anthropogenically-influenced nonequilibrium rivers, the occurrence frequency and sediment transport capacity of different flow levels are greatly important to understanding the linkage between forms and processes. However, our knowledge of the controlling factors on flow frequency and sediment-transport magnitude in large river systems remains limited. In this paper, the hydrological and sediment-transport characteristics of the middle and lower Yangtze River (MLYR) were systematically examined before and after impoundment of the Three Georges Reservoir (TGR). More than 30 years of daily discharge and suspended sediment concentration data were collected from six hydrological stations. The results showed that in the pre-TGR period, the flow frequency distributions (FFDs) and sediment-transport rating curves had segmentation characteristics. Generally, the FFDs of medium-high flow agreed well with the broken power law, and the sediment-transport rating curves deviated from the power law at high flow. This was because the floodplains, especially the Dongting Lake, had significant effects on flood attenuation and sediment storage. Compared the inflection points of the FFD and the sediment-transport rating curve, as well as the effective discharge and bankfull discharge, these four values were of the same order of magnitude. This suggested that the local river system had a dominant effect on the hydrological and sediment-transport characteristics. In the post-TGR period, the overall characteristics of the FFDs were preserved, but the segmental characteristics of the sediment-transport rating curves at higher discharges disappeared. Through analysis, the effective discharge was largely determined by the inflection value (a 1) of the FFD. The reduced a 1 induced a 10%–20% decrease in effective discharge, which indicated flood channel shrinkage in the long run. These findings not only further the understanding of water-sediment regimes in a large alluvial river with an extensive floodplain system but also offer guidance for improving dam operation schemes for river restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane (CH4) oxidation may consume large amounts of dissolved CH4 in lakes and wetlands. Here, we estimated CH4 oxidation rates in an Amazonian floodplain lake during periods representative of the annual variations in water level, using incubations and measurements of δ13C-CH4. A large fraction of the CH4 produced was oxidized (from 34 to ~ 100%, average = 80%), with volumetric CH4 oxidation rates ranging from 1 to 132 mg C m−3 d−1. Heavier values of δ13C-CH4 in surface waters when compared to bottom waters and sediment bubbles corroborates the high CH4 oxidation rates observed. The depth-integrated oxidation rates were of the same magnitude as the calculate CH4 evasion to the atmosphere, which indicates that methane oxidation is an important sink of CH4 and is likely to be important in the many similar lakes encountered in the Amazon River basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rotifers display r-strategy life-histories and are adaptable to environmental disturbances. Although rotifers constitute a large proportion of zooplankton in river-floodplain systems, the influence of hydrology on their assemblage has been poorly studied. We postulated that rotifer assemblage and grazing activities were controlled by mechanisms associated with hydrological conditions. We conducted a 5-year study (Kopački Rit Nature Park, NE Croatia) to assess the influence of hydrology on (a) rotifer assemblage during different hydrological phases, (b) the vertical distribution of rotifer abundance, functional feeding guilds, and grazing intensity, and (c) the main drivers affecting rotifer assemblage in the floodplain lake. The results indicated that (a) during isolation, longer residence time and high phytoplankton biomass microfilter-feeders ( mIff) and macrofilter-feeders ( mAff) grazing rates were similar whereas predators ( Pr) were the most efficient consumers, (b) during high flow pulses, high conductivity and variable water level governed rotifer grazing rates of mIff and mAff at a retion of 1:2 and a decline of Pr grazing activity, and (c) during the flood pulse, reduced phytoplankton biomasss still resulted in mAff and Pr domination of the community whereas mIff grazing activity remained at the same level. Under stable hydrological conditions algivorous species codominated with bacterivores and predators, suggesting an increased biodiversity and food web interactions. In contrast, throughout the inundation period, algivorous species predominated. However, differences in rotifer assemblage between normal flow and flood pulses indicated the importance of hydrology in shaping rotifer trophic structure through modifying lower trophic levels and the availability of food sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Accurate tracking of atypical algal outbreaks in Poyang Lake over the past century. • The point of change in algal community succession was delayed bout 5–15 years. • Importance of multi-source pressure depends on the ecological succession of the lake. • Understand the hydrological processes of floodplain lake to ecological succession. In aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton is a key primary producer that is highly sensitive to environmental change. Understanding ecological succession in lake phytoplankton community structure is important when tracking associated long-term environmental response. Such information can be used to develop a comprehensive management strategy under changing environment. This study reconstructs long-term (100 year scale) phytoplankton community succession from sediment pigments in a typical floodplain lake (Poyang Lake), revealing potential lacustrine ecosystem response mechanisms to climate-nutrition-hydrology factors. Results show that Poyang Lake's algal community has undergone rapid growth, with diatoms increasing by 9.3%, cryptophytes increasing by 8.7%, and green algae decreasing by 26.3%. In Poyang Lake, the point of change in algal community succession occurred after 1965, representing a 5–15-year delayed response compared to lakes around the world, largely due to the coupled effects of the unique hydrological fluctuations and anthropogenic disturbances. Additionally, sediment pigments were also used to accurately track four atypical algal outbreaks in Poyang Lake (i.e., 1955, 1960–1975, 1984, and 2003). Our results emphasize the importance of hydrological conditions during ecological succession processes in floodplain lakes. Here, coupling effects between water levels and other relevant factors explained 20%–32% of algal community variation. Furthermore, results showed that Poyang Lake had previously evolved under environmental stresses of nutrients and climate conditions while currently evolving under multi-source coupling pressure (climate-nutrient-hydrology). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution is considered an important environmental problem by the United Nations Environment Programme, and it is identified, alongside climate change, as an emerging issue that might affect biological diversity and human health. However, despite research efforts investigating plastics in oceans, relatively little studies have focused on freshwater systems. The aim of this study was to estimate the spatial distribution, types, and characteristics of macro-, meso-, and microplastic fragments in shoreline sediments of a freshwater lake. Food wrappers (mainly polypropylene and polystyrene), bags (high- and low-density polyethylene), bottles (polyethylene terephthalate), and disposable Styrofoam food containers (expanded polystyrene) were the dominant macroplastics recorded in this study. Contrary to other studies, herein macroplastic item surveys would not serve as surrogates for microplastic items. This is disadvantageous since macroplastic surveys are relatively easier to conduct. Otherwise, an average of 25 mesoplastics (mainly expanded polystyrene) and 704 microplastic particles (diverse resins) were recorded per square meter in sandy sediments. Comparisons with other studies from freshwater and marine beaches indicated similar relevance of plastic contamination, demonstrating for the first time that plastic pollution is a serious problem in the Paraná floodplain lakes. This study is also valuable from a social/educational point of view, since plastic waste has been ignored in the Paraná catchment as a pollutant problem, and therefore, the outcome of the current study is a relevant contribution for decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley includes hundreds of floodplain lakes that support unique fish assemblages and high biodiversity. Irrigation practices in the valley have lowered the water table, increasing the cost of pumping water, and necessitating the use of floodplain lakes as a source of water for irrigation. This development has prompted the need to regulate water withdrawals to protect aquatic resources, but it is unknown how much water can be withdrawn from lakes before ecological integrity is compromised. To estimate withdrawal limits, we examined descriptors of lake water quality (i.e., total nitrogen, total phosphorus, turbidity, Secchi visibility, chlorophyll- a ) and fish assemblages (species richness, diversity, composition) relative to maximum depth in 59 floodplain lakes. Change-point regression analysis was applied to identify critical depths at which the relationships between depth and lake descriptors exhibited a rapid shift in slope, suggesting possible thresholds. All our water quality and fish assemblage descriptors showed rapid changes relative to depth near 1.2–2.0 m maximum depth. This threshold span may help inform regulatory decisions about water withdrawal limits. Alternatives to explain the triggers of the observed threshold span are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010, central Europe was hit by a massive flood. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of this natural disaster on phytoplankton communities in four oxbow lakes of the lower Vistula River. In order to explain changes caused by the flood, the data from the year 2010 were compared with the data from the previous year. In summer 2009, the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton as well as chlorophyll a content in small isolated oxbow lakes were relatively low. Small nanoplankton flagellates prevailed. Much higher abundance and biomass of phytoplankton and chlorophyll a content were recorded in a large oxbow lake, characterized by the predominance of filamentous cyanobacteria. After the flood wave, the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton in the small oxbow lakes increased dramatically (18 and 7 times, respectively), but the number of species decreased. Filamentous cyanobacteria (Dolichospermum), euglenophyta and dinoflagellates were identified. In the large oxbow lake, the number of species increased but the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton decreased (by approximately 60 and 75%). There was a shift in dominant algal species. Cyanobacteria were replaced mainly by cryptophyta, small chlorophyta (Chlamydomonas) and xanthophyta (Heterothrix). The least significant changes were recorded in the Vistula River. Here, before and after the flood, the abundance and biomass of phytoplankton as well as chlorophyll a content and the dominant algal species remained unchanged. The massive flood caused severe environmental stress, which disturbed phytoplankton development and led to shifts between clear water and turbid states in the lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New impoundments provide opportunities to check whether species that present enough feeding flexibility in natural conditions may take advantage of this situation and, without reproductive restriction, can occupy the most conspicuous habitat in a large reservoir (open areas) and present higher success in the colonization of the new environment. We examined variations in the abundance and feeding of A. osteomystax in two environments, one natural (Sinha Mariana floodplain lake) and one dammed (Manso Reservoir), during two periods: the first year after the filling phase and three years later. Our goal was to evaluate the occupation of the new hábitat (Manso Reservoir), by this species, as well as to test the hypothesis that in the reservoir, unlike the natural environment, there are remarkable changes in diet between the periods. Fish were sampled monthly in the floodplain lake and in the reservoir during two annual periods using gillnets. To evaluate the differences in abundance of A. osteomystax we employed the Kruskal -Wallis test, and the diet analysis was carried out using frequency of occurrence and volumetric methods. Temporal differences in the diet were tested by Kruskal-Wallis test using the scores from a detrended correspondence analysis. A. osteomystax was significantly more abundant in the floodplain lake, where the captures were higher than in the reservoir in almost all months analyzed, and significant variations in abundance between the two periods were not recorded in either the reservoir or the floodplain lake. The diet variation between the two periods, which had a time lag of three years between them, was much less pronounced in the natural environment, where the resource availability is essentially regulated by seasonality. Thus, our hypothesis was accepted; that is, the interannual variations in the diet of A. osteomystax are more relevant in an artificial environment than in a natural one. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (2): 699-708. Epub 2012 June 01.Los embalses nuevos ofrecen la oportunidad de comprobar si especies que presentan suficiente flexibilidad en la alimentación en condiciones naturales pueden aprovechar esta situación y, sin restricciones de reproducción, ocupar la mayor parte del hábitat visible en un gran embalse (espacios abiertos), además, presentar un alto éxito en la colonización del nuevo entorno. Asimismo, examinamos variaciones en la abundancia y alimentación de A. osteomystax, en dos ambientes, uno natural (Sinha Mariana floodplain lake) y otro alterado (Embalse Manso), durante dos periodos: el primer ano después de la fase de llenado y tres años más tarde. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la ocupación del nuevo hábitat (Embalse Manso) por esta especie, así como probar la hipótesis de que en el embalse, a diferencia del ambiente natural, se producen cambios notables en la dieta entre los periodos. Los peces fueron muestreados mensualmente en el lago de la planicie de inundación y en el embalse durante dos periodos anuales con redes de enmalle. Para evaluar las diferencias en la abundancia de A. osteomystax empleamos la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis, y el análisis de la dieta se llevo a cabo con el uso de la frecuencia de ocurrencia y métodos volumétricos. Las diferencias temporales en la dieta fueron probadas con Kruskal-Wallis, se usaron los resultados a partir de un análisis de correspondencia sin tendencia. A. osteomystax fue significativamente más abundante en el lago de la llanura de inundación, donde las capturas fueron más altas, que en el embalse en casi todos los meses analizados, y no se registraron variaciones significativas en la abundancia entre los dos periodos tanto en el embalse como en el lago de inundación. La variación en la dieta entre los dos periodos, en los cuales habia un desfase de tres anos entre ellos, fue mucho menos pronunciada en el entorno natural, donde la disponibilidad de recursos es esencialmente regulada por la estacionalidad. Por lo tanto, nuestra hipótesis fue aceptada, es decir, las variaciones interanuales en la dieta de A. osteomystax son más relevantes en un ambiente artificial que en uno natural.

The hydrological condition of floodplain systems alters the structure and dynamic of aquatic communities. We suggest that the structure of zooplankton community changes according to the flood phases and connectivity. This study was carried out in a floodplain lake located in the Northern Pantanal (Brazil). Zooplankton density varied considerably over time, although the sampling stations presented similar densities. The densities ranged from 2,000 ind. m-3 in the high water phase to more than 2,300,000 ind. m-3 during the low water phase when the lake remains isolated. The densities of the groups also presented a temporal variation. Rotifers described the community mainly in the low water phase and microcrustaceans during the high water phase. Variations in the total zooplankton and groups densities were significantly correlated to the PCA 1 axis (negatively composed by water depth and positively by turbidity) and to the food availability (phytoplankton).A condição hidrológica de sistemas inundáveis altera a estrutura e a dinâmica das comunidades aquáticas. Com isso, sugerimos que a estrutura da comunidade zooplanctônica se altera de acordo com as fases da inundação e conectividade. Este estudo foi realizado em uma lagoa de inundação da parte norte do Pantanal (Brasil). A densidade zooplanctônica variou consideravelmente ao longo do tempo, embora asestações amostrais apresentarem densidades similares. As densidades variaram de 2.000 ind. m-3 na fase de águas altas para mais de 2.300.000 ind. m-3 durante a fase de águas baixas quando a lagoa esteve isolada. As densidades dos grupos também apresentaram variação temporal. Os rotíferos foram relativamente mais importantes durante as águas baixas e os microcrustáceos durante a fase de águas altas. Variações na densidade do zooplâncton e grupos foram significativamente correlacionados com o eixo 1 da PCA (composta negativamente pela profundidade da água e positivamente com a turbidez) e a disponibilidade alimentar (fitoplâncton).

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar as concentrações totais e em frações geoquímicas de Fe, Mn, Co, Cu e Zn em sedimentos, coletados nos períodos de seca (2005) e cheia (2006) do Lago do Parú. Nas partículas de sedimento seco ao ar (SSA) < 45 µm foi feita uma extração seqüencial pelo método de Tessier et al. (1979) que separa os elementos nas frações geoquímicas trocável, carbonácea, oxídica, orgânica e residual. As amostras de extrato diluídas foram lidas em cada fração, por espectrometria de absorção atômica de chama, sendo que o Fe apresentou a maior concentração total e uma forte associação com óxidos. O Mn alcançou a maior fração trocável dentre os elementos, em ambas as estações analisadas. O Zn obteve uma fração trocável constante entre os dois períodos analisados. O Cu se caracterizou por apresentar forte ligação pela fração orgânica, não variando de uma estação para outra nesta fração. O Co apresentou comportamento similar ao do Cu, exceto pela fração orgânica que apresentou diferença de concentração entre os períodos, sendo maior na cheia. As análises multivariadas confirmaram que os metais foram movimentados entre as frações geoquímicas do período seco para o de cheia.The aim of this work was to determine whole and geochemical fractions of Fe, Mn, Co, Cu and Zn concentrations from sediments collected at low (2005) and high (2006) water seasons in Lago do Parú. From < 45 µm air dried sediment particles was made a Tessier et al. (1979) method to sequential extraction, which separates elements in exchangeable, bound to carbonates, bound to iron and manganese oxides, bound to organic matter and residual geochemical fractions. Diluted samples were read in each fraction, by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, where Fe showed the highest whole concentration and strong association with oxides. Mn reached the biggest exchangeable fraction among elements in both analyzed periods. Cu showed strong association by organic fraction and don't presented difference of concentration between periods. Co presented similar behavior of Cu, except for organic fraction, in which showed difference between periods, where was bigger in high water level period. Multivariate statistical analyses confirmed that metals were displaced in sediments geochemical fractions at low and high water seasons.