Seasonal variation of mixing depth and its influence on phytoplankton dynamics in the Zeya reservoir, China

Abstract

In reservoirs or lakes, mixing depth affects growth and loss rates of phytoplankton populations. Based on 1-year data from the Zeya reservoir, China, we scaled the mixing depth throughout a whole year by utilizing cluster analysis, and then investigated its influence on phytoplankton dynamics and other physical and chemical parameters. Over the whole year, all physical and chemical parameters except TN and temperature had significant correlations with mixing depth, indicating that mixing depth is one of the important driving factors influencing water environment. According to mixing depth, a year can be divided into three different periods, including the thermally stratified period, isothermally mixed period, and transition period between them. When considering the former two different periods separately, mixing depth had no correlation with the phytoplankton biovolume. However, over the whole year a significant correlation was observed, which indicated that the influence of mixing depth on phytoplankton growth in the Zeya reservoir still followed Diehl’s theory. Furthermore, according to the steady-state assumption, a unimodal curve (mixing depth—phytoplankton biovolume) with a significant peak appearing at a mixing depth of 2 m was observed, closely agreeing with Diehl’ prediction.