Temporal-spatial variations of euphotic depth of typical lake regions in Lake Taihu and its ecological environmental significance

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.