Abstract
In spring and summer of 2018, 26 lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River were studied to determine the temporal and spatial characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus ratios (TN/TP) and their influencing factors. The differences in nitrogen and phosphorus ratios in different types of lakes (including water-psaaing lakes, deep reservoirs and eutrophic lakes) and in different seasons were analyzed in terms of the sources of the lakes, lake depth, suspended particulate matter concentrations, and phytoplankton levels. The average TN/TP was 21.52±14.28 in spring and 21.73±23.78 in summer. The TN/TP varied significantly in different types of lakes. The TN/TP ratios in water-passing lakes, deep reservoirs and eutrophic lakes were 20.41±9.25, 40.97±33.37, and 14.38±7.40 during spring, and were 22.62±6.48, 96.38±45.91, and 10.91±4.44 during summer, respectively. The TN/TP of the water-passing lakes and deep reservoirs increased significantly in summer, while that of the eutrophic lakes decreased significantly, which indicates that TN/TP changes and lake nutritional status are closely related. The source of nutrients in lakes and reservoirs affects the TN/TP. The TN/TP of lakes and reservoirs had a significant correlation with the lake depth in both spring and summer, indicating that lake depth is a key factor affecting the ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, in eutrophic lakes with higher absolute nutrient concentrations, TN/TP has less effect on phytoplankton, while in deep-water lakes with lower absolute nutrient concentrations, TN/TP can determine the growth of phytoplankton limited by phosphorus. Therefore, the governance strategy of lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River should prioritize phosphorus control. Local digging, controlling non-point source pollution, sediment dredging, and changing fishery production methods can be applied to improve the ecological quality of the eutrophic lakes.
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