Taihu Laboratory for Lake Ecosystem Research
(TLLER)
Poyang Lake-Wetland Research Station
The Poyang Lake is China’s largest freshwater lake, and one of the only two large river-connecting lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River currently, which plays a very important role and function in maintaining the water balance and ecological balance of the Yangtze River. The Lake-Wetland Observation and Research Station of Poyang Lake, referred to as “Poyang Lake Station”, is near the Poyang Lake in Xingzi County, Jiangxi Province, with convenient traffic conditions. The station was jointly established by Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology and the Mountain-River-Lake Development and Management Committee Office of Jiangxi Province. Poyang Lake Station started construction in 2007, and the civil engineering, living area and laboratory of the station were completed in 2008, and have been officially put into operation. The construction of Poyang Lake Station has been greatly supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the People's Government of Jiangxi Province, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, governments and related departments of Jiujiang County and Xingzi County at all levels.
Poyang Lake Station covers an area of 35.7 mu, allocated by local governments free of charge. The building area of the first phase completed is 1,800 square meters. It was entirely built in accordance with the Norms for China Ecosystem Research Network, and currently, it has standard meteorological observation field, biological laboratory, ecological laboratory, chemistry laboratory, hydrology laboratory, analytical equipment room, etc., which can meet the needs of field sample treatment and laboratory analysis; and, it is proposed to build nutrient transport simulation experimental station, lake-wetland ecological restoration research experimental station, wetland plant ecology experimental station and lake hydrology automatic monitoring station. Currently, several long-term monitoring stations of hydrology, meteorology, water quality and biology have been laid out in the lake district and wetlands of the Poyang Lake, carrying out a continuous routine monitoring, survey and research on the lake-wetland of the Poyang Lake Station. They have complete living facilities, as well as transportation and communication equipment, which ensure unimpeded exchange of information and excellent working environment for all the staff at the stations.
Poyang Lake Station holds a joint and open attitude, warmly welcomes domestic and international research institutes, as well as local authorities to jointly make great achievements in scientific research, covering life processes of lake organisms, reproduction and protection of special organisms in the Poyang Lake, relationships between lake evolution under changed conditions (such as operation of the Three Gorges Project, climate warming and so on) and structural and functional succession of wetlands ecosystem, long-term accumulation of basic data of the Poyang Lake, etc., to output high-level scientific research findings, and to strive for early entering into China Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) and key national field observation and research stations.
Functional Orientation of Poyang Lake Station
1. Integrated research base of ecological structure and function of lake-wetland
2. Popularization and education base of lake-wetland value and protection
3. International cooperation and academic exchange base of lake-wetland research
Development Goals of Poyang Lake Station
Through long-term observation, collection, accumulation and follow-up of lake-wetland resources and environment system data of the Poyang Lake, the station has carried out comprehensive monitoring and research on the relationship between rivers and lakes within the lake area of the Poyang Lake in the middle reach of the Yangtze River, influences of the Three Gorges project on lake-wetlands, evolution of lake-wetland water environment, structure and function of lake-wetland ecosystem, integrated management of lakes and watersheds, etc., ensuring the rational use and protection of the lake.
Basic Tasks of Poyang Lake Station
(a) Systematically observe and accumulate data of lake-wetland physics, chemistry, biology, sedimentation, ecosystem structure, function, etc. of the Poyang Lake, collect data of watershed geography and human activity (or socio-economic data), and establish dynamics database of the basin complex ecosystem ;
(b) Carry out basic theoretical research on large-scale lake-connecting lake-wetlands, and develop theories of large-scale shallow lake-wetland evolution;
(c) Carry out the experimental demonstration research on protection of the Poyang Lake and the variety of its associated water resources and organisms and ecological environment improvement;
(d) Carry out international cooperation and academic exchanges within relevant fields; and
(e) Train lake-wetland research personnel at home and abroad, and conduct popularization and education of lake-wetland value and protection.
Fuxianhu Lake Plateau Deep LakeResearch Station
Fuxian Lake is located in central of Yunnan Province, and it is China’s second largest deep lake, with an area of 212 square kilometers, and water depth of 157 meters. It is a typical plateau lake. Fuxian Lake Station is located on north bank of Fuxian Lake, and as a long-term observation and research platform, it conducts comprehensive research on formation and evolution of deep lake ecosystems, environmental change and governance, ecological evolution and its driving mechanism, resource protection and utilization, lake socio-economic development and its environmental effects, etc. of the Fuxian Lake, aiming at revealing the ecosystem structure and dynamic characteristics of the plateau deep lake, variation and characteristics of its response to human disturbance, and exploring governance, conservation and sustainable utilization means. At the same time, it gives full play to its geographical advantages, and acts as a research base of southwest plateau lakes.
With Fuxian Lake Station as a base and nine large plateau lakes in Yunnan Province as objects, a series of practices and research have been carried out in the fields of lake ecological restoration and lake environmental management, so a great deal of scientific information have been accumulated, and strong technical support has been provided for the protection and management of these lakes .
S.N.Research TopicRank
1Survey on aquatic vegetation of Xingyun LakeHorizontal topic, Environmental Protection Bureau of Yuxi Municipality
2Technical study and project demonstration of bank belt ecological restoration of Dianchi LakeKey project at Level 3 of the Ministry of Science & Technology (special research)
3Feasibility study and preliminary design of aquatic plants abatement demonstration project of the Qilu Lake at Hongqi estuaryHorizontal topic, Environmental Protection Bureau of Yuxi Municipality
4YaonigouArtificial wetland purification project of Fuxian LakeHorizontal topic, Environmental Protection Bureau of Yuxi Municipality
5Maliao Riverartificial wetland of Fuxian LakeHorizontal topic, Environmental Protection Bureau of Yuxi Municipality
6Wetland construction project of the Erhai Luoshi River
7Dajie River wetland construction project of Xingyun Lake
8Advanced tail-water purification wetland project of Eryuan sewage treatment plant
9Survey on lakes on the Yunnan-Guizhou PlateauInnovation project of the institute
10Gehe Blue-algae emergency work of Xingyun LakeHorizontal topic, Yuxi
11Investigation on the causes of transparency decline of Fuxian LakeHorizontal topic, Environmental Protection Bureau of Yuxi Municipality
12Comprehensive protection and control plan for Fuxian LakeHorizontal topic, Environmental Protection Bureau of Yuxi Municipality
13Technical study and project demonstration of estuary water purificationSub-topics of State 863 Program
14Advanced complex wetland water purification and reuse technology of wastewater treatment plant tail-water in water-deficient areaTopic of State 863 Program
15Research on water pollution producing mechanism and management strategy of abandoned phosphosiderite in the watershed of Fuxian LakeNational Natural Science Foundation
16Research on benefits from artificial wetland and lake bank belt of Fuxian LakeHorizontal topic, Yuxi
Articles Published:
Feng Muhua, Pan Jizheng, Ke Fan and Li Wenchao, Water Pollution Status Quo of Abandoned Phosphosiderite in the Watershed of Fuxian Lake in Yunnan, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2008,20(6):766-772.
Feng Muhua, Li Wenchao, Li Haiying and Pan Jizheng, Impacts of Phosphate Chemical on Soil and Crops in the Watershed of the Fuxian Lake in Yunnan, Environmental Science and Technology, 2009,32(3), 83-86.
Feng Muhua, Zheng Jin, Li WencChao, Pan Jizheng, Ke Fan and Zhang Shitao, Study on Simulation Phosphorus Loss Process of Phosphorite on Maotian Mountain in the Watershed of the Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, Environmental Chemistry, 2007, 26(6). 801-804
Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao and Pan Jizheng, Structure and Diversity of Plateau Deep Lake Macrobenthos Community in Fuxian Lake, Biodiversity, 2008,16(3):288-297
Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao and Pan Jizheng, Species Composition and Spatial Distribution of Macrobenthic Mollusk Fauna in Fuxian Lake, Journal of Ecology, 2008,28(1):122-125
Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao, Pan Jizheng, etc., Spatial Distribution and Environmental Analysis of Chironomid Larvae in Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, Journal of Applied Ecology, 2007,18(1):179-184
Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao, Pan Jizheng, etc., Submerged Plant Distribution and Community Structure in Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, Yunnan Plant Research, 2006, 28(3): 277-282
Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao, Pan Jizheng, etc., Status in Quo and Change of Fishery Resources in Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2006, 18(3): 305-311.
Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao and Pan Jizheng, Effects of External Interference on Our Lake Ecosystems, Reservoir Fisheries, 2006, 26(3): 58-61.
Pan Jizheng, Li Wenchao and Chen Kaining, Research on Environmental Effects of Ecological Restoration Region on Northeastern Banks of Dianchi Lake - Research on Effects of Algal, Journal of Lake Sciences.2004, Vol.16(2):141-148.
Pan Jizheng, Li Wenchao and Chen Kaining,Environmental Effects of Ecological Restoration Region on Northeastern Banks of Dianchi Lake - II. Effect on Removing Pollutants, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2006, 18(6): 579－584
Pan Jizheng, Li Wenchao, Xiong Fei, etc., Analysis on Temporal-Spatial Variation and Impacting Factors of Transparency of Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, Journal of Lake Sciences. 2008, 20(5): 681-686
Pan Jizheng, Li Wenchao, Ke Fan, etc., Research on the Oxygenation Properties of Four Kinds of Matrixes in Aerated Vertical-Flow Wetland, Environmental Science, 2009, 30(2): 91-95
Pan Jizheng, Xiong Fei, Li Wenchao, Community Structure and Spatial Distribution of Crustacean Plankton in Fuxian Lake, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2009, 21(3): 412-418
Pan Jizheng, Xiong Fei and Li Wenchao, Community Structure, Distribution and Impacting Factors of Phytoplankton in Fuxian Lake, Journal of Ecology, 2009
Xia Tianxiang, Li Wenchao and Xiong Fei, Submerged Vegetation Distribution and Water Body Nitrogen-Phosphorus Characteristics of Different Types of Bank Belts of Fuxian Lake, Journal of Ecology, 2007, 26(6):846-852
Xia Tianxiang, Pan Jizheng, Liu Xuehua, Zhao Mengbin, QI Yunkuan, Xiong Fei and Xu Ligang, Water Body NP Change and Non-Point Source Pollution Characteristics of Fuxian Lake[J], Journal of Agricultural Environmental Science, 2008,(04):1340-1345
Xia Tianxiang, Li Wenchao and Pan Jizheng, Environmental Quality and NP Loss Risk Assessment of Gravel Soil of Different Agricultural Models in the Watershed of Fuxian Lake, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2008,20(1):110-116
Xia Tianxiang, Li Wenchao and Feng Muhua, Leaching Simulation Research on Organic and Conventional Fertilizer in Gravel Soil of the Watershed of Fuxian Lake, Soil, 2008, 40 (4): 596-601
Xia Tianxiang and Li Wenchao, NP Loss and Cumulative Features of Organic and Conventional Vegetable Cultivation Soil on the Northern Bank of Fuxian Lake, Chinese Journal of Eco-agriculture, 2008,16(03):560-564
Xia Tianxiang and Li Wenchao, Phosphorus Leaching Simulation Research on Organic and Conventional Vegetable Cultivation Soil in the Watershed of Fuxian Lake, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 2007, 21(3): 19-27
Ke Fan, Wang Lei, Li Haiying, Pan Jizheng, Xia Tianxiang and Li Wenchao, Simulation Experiment on Peri-Urban Low-Concentration Domestic Sewage Treatment of Aerated Vertical-Flow Wetland, Journal of Lake Sciences. 2008, 20(2):257-262
Lei Wang and Bei Wu, Treatment of polluted river water using biofilm pretreatment and sequencing aerated vertical subsurface flow constructed wetland [C], ICBBE2008. 04~01~71.
Wang Lei, Li Wenchao, Ke Fan, etc., Pre-Treatment of Suburban Low-Concentration Sewage Mixture by Low -Dissolved Oxygen Biofilm Reactor Prior to Entering into Wetland, Journal of Lake Sciences
Wang Lei, Li Wenchao, Ke Fan, etc., Hypoxia Contact Oxidation/Micro-Aeration Artificial Wetland [J], China Water & Wastewater, 2008, 24(5): 22~26
Wang Lei and Wu Bei, Study on Simultaneous Nitrification and Denitrification[J], Water Resources Protection, 2007, 23(4): 88~94.
Wang Lei, Li Haiying and Li Xuejuan, Study on Effects of Low-Dissolved Oxygen on Biofilm Characteristics [J], China Water & Wastewater.
LI Haiying, LI Wenchao, FENG Muhua, KE Fan. Purification of polluted river water into lake by combined micro-aerated ecological floating bed and stabilization pond. (Submitted).
LI Haiying, LI Wenchao, PENG Guanghao and FENG Muhua, Study on identification and nitrification of heterotrophic nitrifiers from activated sludge.
Li Haiying, Feng Muhua, Li Ling, Ke Fan and Li Wenchao, Orthotopic Model Experiment on Polluted Water at the Lake Estuary and Purified by Micro-Aeration Ecological Floating Bed, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2009
Li Haiying, Yang Haihua, Ke Fan, Feng Muhua and Li Wenchao, Study on Purification Effects and Biofilm Characteristics of Micro-Aeration Ecological Floating Bed, China Water & Wastewater, 2009, 25 (7): 35~40.
Li Haiying, Li Wenchao, Feng Muhua and Pan Jizheng, Micro-Aeration Ecological Floating Bed Research on Absorption Properties and Its NP Removing Effects of Micro-Aeration Cress Floating Bed, Journal of Agricultural Environmental Science, 2009,
Li Haiying and Li Wenchao, Research on Heterotrophic Nitrification of Matrix Biofilm
Qi Zhang, Adrian Werner. Integrated surface-subsurface modeling of Fuxian Lake catchments, Southwest China. Water Resources management.
？ Gao Haiying, Huang Lijiang, Zhang Qi and Xu Ligang, Effects of Different Rainfall Intensity on Soil Nitrogen Leaching Loss and LEACHM Model Verification, Journal of Agricultural Environmental Science, 2008, 27(4), 1346-1352.
？ Zuo Haijun, Zhang Qi and Xu Ligang, Impacting Factors And Preventative Measures Against Farmland Nitrogen Leaching Loss, Environmental Pollution and Control, 2008, 30(12),83-89.
？ Xu Ligang, Zhang Qi, Xu Jin, Jiang Hongkun and Huang Lijiang, Effects Of Different Rainfall Intensity On Nutrients Vertical Migration Process And Leaching, Journal of Pedology, 2008,45(3),437-444.
？ Li Zhengzhao, Gao Haiying, Zhang Qi and Xu Ligang, Groundwater Nitrate Pollution And Its Influencing Factors Of Typical Farmland In The Watershed Of Fuxian Lake, Journal of Agricultural Environmental Science, 2008,27(1):0286-0290.
？ Zhang Qi, Joint Simulation Of Surface-Underground Runoff In Lake Catchments Basin, Progress in Geography, 2007, 26(5), 1-10.
？ Gao Haiying, Liu Jia, Zhang Qi and Xu Jin, Effects of Hydraulic loading on Phosphorus Removal from Lakefront artificial wetland, China Water & Wastewater, 2007, 23(23), 87-88,92.
？ Xu Jin and Zhang Qi, Research on Function of Surface Flow Lakeside Wetland Phosphorus Sink-Source , Journal of Environmental Science, 2007, 27(10): 1617-1622.
？ Xu Jintao, Zhang Qi and Xu Ligang, Simulation of inlet water quantity of Surface Runoff in catchment basin of Fuxian Lake, Journal of Lake Sciences,2007,19(6): 718-726.
？ Gao Haiying, Jiang Hongkun and Zhang Qi, Research on relationship between the rainfall and groundwater level in agricultural areas in the watershed of Liangwang River of Fuxian Lake and the groundwater quality, Journal of Yunnan Agricultural University, 2007, 22(3A), 132-136.
？ Gao Haiying, Liu Jia and Xu Jin, NP Removal Effects of Complex Lakefront Artificial Wetland, ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT, 2007, 16(4), 1160-1165.
？ Jiang Hongkun, Gao Haiying, Zhang Qi and Xu Ligang, Study on the Relationship between the agricultural practices and watershed response in the watershed of Liangwang River in Fuxian Lake, Environmental Science, 2007, 28(10), 2294-2300.
？ Zhang Qi, Wetland Phosphorus Sink-Source Functional Conversion And Theoretical Explanations Of Artificial Lake, Journal of Lake Sciences, 2007, 19(1): 46-51.
？ Xu Jin, Zhang Qi, Wang Shihe, Gao Haiying and Xu Ligang, Lakeside wetland Matrix -Research on Phosphorus Release Characteristics of Water Interface, China Water & Wastewater, 2007, 23(1): 43-47.
？Xu Jin, Zhang Qi, Wang Shihe and Gao Haiying, Comparison of NP Removal Effects of Several Plants on Subsurface Lakeside Wetland, ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT, 2006, 15(5): 936-940.
？Liu Jia, Zhang Qi and Gao Haiying, Remove artificial wetland nutrients via simulative degradation method. Environmental Pollution and Control, 2006, 28(9):698-702.
？Jiang Hongkun, Gao Haiying, Zhang Qi, Applications of best management practices (BMPs) of Agricultural non-point source pollution in our country, Agricultural Environment and Development, 2006, 23(4): 64-67.
？Xu Ligang and Zhang Qi, Research on the status quo and prospects of Watershed non-point source pollutant transport model, Journal of Agricultural Environmental Science, 2006, 25(supplement): 316-322.
？Liu Jia, Zhang Qi, Gao Haiying and Xu Ligang, Comparison of nitrogen removal effects of different functional areas of artificial wetland, Science, Technology and Engineering, 2006, 6(6): 723-725.
？Xu Jin, Zhang Qi, Wang Shihe, Gao Haiying, Liu Jia and Xu Ligang, denitrification effectiveness analysis of Lakefront complex wetland in Fuxian Lake in Yunnan Province, China Water & Wastewater, 2006, 22(3): 13-15.
？Zhang Qi and Xu Ligang, Observation and simulation of Runoff process in Catchments Area of Fuxian Lake, Science, Technology and Engineering, 2005, 5(24): 1946-1950.
Patents:
1 200710133213.1 water purification technology based on large-scale floating plant breeding at Lakes estuary
2 200710024370.9 fully enclosed flexible Deep Enclosure
3 200810024485.2 air curtain technology of floating algae
4 02258482.X Light electric pile driver
5 200410014927.7 Complex wetland gravitational flow polluted water purifying method
6 200410014926.2 integrated wave absorption methods and devices for lakeside areas
7 200810024784.6 aerated vertical-flow wetland Water purification technology
8 200810024627.5 artificially oxygen enhanced complex subsurface flow wetland wastewater treatment process
9 200810195128.2 advanced wetland purification process through using sewage plant tail water
10 200810155993.4 aerated water pumping technology
11 200810196343.4 Submerged plant Inflatable Punch Planting Techniques
12 02258481.1 Assembly-type above-water platform for inland water bodies
13 200420025428.3 Large-capacity deep-water sampler
14 200420027136.3 light electric tower crane
15 200520069588.2 pneumatic benthonic organism sampler
Taihu Laboratory for Lake Ecosystem Research (TLLER), established in 1988, juried directly by Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology (NIGLAS), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is one of the 32 key field laboratories of Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) and became the national key station for field scientific research and observation in 2000. The development of TLLER is supported by CAS, Ministry of Science and Technology, the government of Jiangsu Province, NIGLAS, and other local departments of Wuxi city.
TLLER is one of the national public benefit research platforms. It covers an area of 4.5 hm2, owes 4000 m2 indoor laboratories, meeting rooms and living rooms, a standard meteorological observation field, experimental area of ecological enclosures, laboratories of physical limnology, environmental chemistry, environmental biology, and molecular ecology. The station is also equipment of sampling yachts and vehicles for field scientific researches. These research facilities and living conditions provide convenience for researches from home and abroad.
Since 1991, the investigation and monitor on hydrology, meteorology, biological, water chemical and sediment of Lake Taihu have been carried out. Gradually, Taihu Staion has become the data center of ecological and environmental researches on Lake Taihu. Through the long-term monitoring and experimental research, we clarified the characteristics of light transmission and its effect on the primary productivity in large shallow lakes. Through the researches on sediment distribution, suspension and release in Lake Taihu, we proposed the conceptual scheme of nutrient release of sediment in large shallow lakes, whichprovides basis for ecological dredging in Taihu. Based on the in-situ observation, we raised the four-phase development hypothesis on the process of the cyanobacteria bloom-forming. Based on the environmental impact offorce on lake ecology, we developed the Taihu ecological-environmental simulation hydrodynamic model. The model played a role in assessing the potential benefit of "Diverting Changjiang River water into Lake Taihu" engineering. Through the researches on themechanism of lake ecosystem degradation by eutrophication, we put forward the strategy of lake ecological restoration, which was applied in the restoration of Lake Taihu and other shallow lakes. These achivements have a great influence at home and abroad. As a consequence, TLLER has gradually become a scientific research center on lake ecological environment and a technical demonstration base in our country.
Aimed at an international top-ranking field station of shallow lakes, TLLER will try its best to provide top-grade scientific achievements for the country and local governments, to provide first-class research services for the scientists from all over the world. Welcome to TLLER, the research base of large shallow lakes.
Characteristic of TLLER
l Representative Ecosystem: Transitional Zone between Middle and Northern Humid Subtropical Areas
l Representative Area: Center of the Yangtze River Delta with Rapid Economic Development
l Representative Lake: Typical Large Shallow Freshwater Lake
l Representative Ecological Lake Type: Coexistence of both Macrophyte Dominance System and Algae Dominance System
Functional Orientation of TLLER
l Monitoring lake environmental changes and ecosystem successions in Shallow Lakes
l Engaging in field study of lake sciences
l Optimizing the utility of lake resources and Environmental protection
l Cultivating Chinese lake researchers
l Communicating international shallow lake researches
Development Goals of TLLER
To understand the ecological and environmental evolution and rules of Lake Taihu by means of data accumulation on resources, environment and ecology of Lake Taihu and its watershed; To study the process and mechanism of energy flow and material circulation among lake water-sediment, water-air, and water-organism by means of in-situ observation, indoor experiment and numerical simulation; To explore the relationship and driven mechanism between the evolution of structure and function and changes of environment in large shallow lakes; To explore the pattern and path of human activities on lake ecology and environment; To provide theoretical basis for regulation and ecological restoration of lake environment; To serve the exploit and sustainable use of lake resources.
Faculty and staff of TLLER
TLLER has 44 regular staff, including 12 professors, 13 associated professors. One faculty member have obtained the “National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars”, 3 members are enjoying special government allowances, 1 have obtained Jiangsu Province Youth Sicence and Technology man, 2 for Jiangsu Province “333” Project Personnel Training object. Futhermore, there are more than 30 post doctor, PhD candidates and Master’s students at present. The discipline has covered hydrology, meteorology, hydrodynamic force, environmental geochemistry, biochemistry, hydrobiology and ecology, and fishery. In recent years, great progress has been made in talent training and team construction. Currently, we have established a research team with reasonable age structure and expertise.
Research interests
(1) Physical limnology: numerical simulation on the hydrodynamic force, current, and sediments of Lake Taihu; underwater light climate characteristics in large shallow lakes; process of sediment resuspension; changes of oxidation-reduction environment; nutrient release from sediments, dynamics of microbial communities, decomposition and mineralization of organic matter result from wind, wave, water current, etc.
(2) Environmental chemistry on interface: on water-sediment interface, carrying out the environment record of lacustrine deposit, mechanism of nutrient release from sediment, ecological dredge, degradation, mineralization and circulatory of organic matter in water-sediment system; on air-water interface, carrying out the evaluation of air pollution to lakes and the contribution of shallow lakes to the global carbon cycle, regeneration of oxygen and the effect on lake ecosystem.
(3) Biological ecology: structure and function of large shallow lake ecosystems; driven mechanism of the succession of lake ecosystems; the response of lake ecosystems to the changes of lake environment; the mechanism of cyanobacterial bloom; ecological fishery; evaluation and protection of healthy lake ecosystems; methods and technology of lake restoration, etc.
Principal Scientific and Technical Achievements
(1) Lake physical process and its environmental effects
Through continuous observation on wind, wave, suspended substance, and transparency, we established the quantitative relationship between hydrodynamic intensity and suspended substance, and transparency. Through field experiment, combining indoor flume simulation, we found that the driven factor of sediment suspension in Lake Taihu is wave instead of lake current. And the critical shear force which induced sediment resuspension was also determined. These results established a foundation for studying the mechanism of internal nutrient release from sediment and physics - ecological model of Lake Taihu. They also deepen our knowledge about the effects of hydrodynamics on underwater light climate, primary production, and the structure and functions of shallow lake ecosystems. All of the achievements enriched the research on physical process and its ecological effect in large shallow lakes.
(2) The discipline of internal nutrient release from lake sediment in Lake Taihu and the technology of ecological degrading
We firstly characterized the nature of pollutants in the sediments, the loading and distribution of nutrients in Lake Taihu. Thoughfield in situ observation, combining laboratory experiments on the relationships of wind, wave, suspended substance, and nutrient release, weproposed the conceptual scheme of nutrient release of sediment in the large shallow lake, and defined the determination and control method of lake internal pollution.We also formulate the principle of ecological degrading, and some of them were applied successfully in the degrading process in Lake Taihu and other shallow lakes.
(3) Structure and function of the Lake Taihu ecosystem and its response to eutrophication
Based on the nearly 50 years’ integrated monitoring data on the structural evolution of Lake Taihu ecosystems, we found that lake eutrophication resulted in the dynamics of phytoplankton communities and the dominance of cyanobacteria. As well, the increasing biomass of microbe and the speed up nutrient circulation rate accelerate lake eutrophication. We raised the four-phase development hypothesis on the process of the cyanobacteria bloom-forming. This hypothesis is the theoretical foundation of early warning, forecast and control of cyanobacterial bloom.
(4) Hydrodynamics-eutrophication ecological model in large shallow lakes
The model integrated many research achievements on hydrodynamics, suspended substance, light, dynamics of phytoplankton, and it played a key role in simulating of water quality change, nutrient exchange between water and alga, algal migration and diffusion, nutrient release from sediment. The model played an important role in the early-warning of cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Taihu. In addition, the model is successfully used in assessing the potential benefit of "Diverting Changjiang River water into Lake Taihu" engineering, and obtainedgood social, economic and environmental benefits.
(5) Ecological restoration techniques in shallow eutrophic lakes
Our research results revealed that the eutrophication can cause the increasing of attached organisms which result in the disappearing of aquatic plants. As a consequence, cyanobacteria dominated in shallow lakes. Thus, lake restoration from eutrophication should follow a process of source control, ecosystem reconstruction and catchments management. We developed several techniques, such as barricadingfor blocking alga, plantingfreshwater vegetations, to control lake eutrophicaton. Among all techniques in controlling the lake eutrophication, the nutrient loading control and lake ecosystem reconstruction are the main two categories.This achievement has been widely applied in the restoration of Lake Taihu and other shallow lakes.
Since the establishment of TILLER, we have published more than 500 papers, among which ther are more than 150 SCI articles, 5 monograph publications, and 3 specials, including “Hydrobiologia”, “Ecological Engineering", and "Science of China". We also submitted 4 consulting reports to the central and provincial governments. And the reports received great attention by the government.
Communication and Cooperation
Averagely, about 30-40 foreign experts and scholars visit TLLER each year, and eight researchers working in TLLER go abroad for academic intercommunion. We have successfully hosted or assistant host 4 international conferences and published the meeting specials in international journals. Moreover, we have official cooperative projects with USA, Canada, Japan, UK, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, and so on.