Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Roles of dilution rate and nitrogen concentration in competition between the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and the diatom Cyclotella sp. in eutrophic lakes

  • Published:
Journal of Applied Phycology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In Lake Tega, Japan, the shift of dominant algal species was caused as a result of discharging water from the adjacent river into the lake. The transition from cyanobacteria (mainly the genus Microcystis) to diatoms (mainly the genus Cyclotella) resulted in a disappearance of algal blooms. Although some environmental conditions such as flow rate, nutrient concentration, and transparency were changed by the project, the decisive factor for the transition has not been clarified yet. For the effective control of algal blooms by water discharge, this study aimed to elucidate the effects of daily renewal rate and nitrogen concentration on the interspecific competition between Microcystis aeruginosa and Cyclotella sp. Monoculture experiments were conducted to obtain growth characteristics for each species and mixed culture experiments were performed to examine their competitive abilities under various daily renewal rates of the culture medium (15 and 30 %) and nitrate concentrations (71.4, 178, and 357 μM). In addition to prepared medium, Lake Tega water was also used for mixed culture experiments. The results showed that the increase in a daily renewal rate contributed to the dominance of Cyclotella sp., while a nitrate concentration had little influence on the competition. We conclude that algal blooms composed of the genus Microcystis would be controlled by maintaining a daily renewal rate up to 30 % or more, which corresponded to the dilution rate of 0.36 day−1, under a nitrate concentration of ≤357 μM. The study would include essential information for the management of lakes suffering from frequent occurrences of algal blooms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amano Y, Sakai Y, Sekiya T, Takeya K, Taki K, Machida M (2010) Effect of phosphorus fluctuation caused by river water dilution in eutrophic lake on competition between blue-green alga Microcystis aeruginosa and diatom Cyclotella sp. J Environ Sci 22:1666–1673

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes JD, Ganf GG (2001) Variations in the buoyancy response of Microcystis aeruginosa to nitrogen, phosphorus and light. J Plankton Res 23:1399–1411

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiba Prefectural Government (2015) Water quality for lakes in Chiba Prefecture. http://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/english/index.html. Accessed 14 Sept 2015

  • Fábregas J, Cid A, Morales E, Cordero B, Otero A (1996) Discrepancies between cell volume and organic content in semi-continuous cultures of a marine microalga. Lett Appl Microbiol 22:206–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guillard RRL, Lorenzen CJ (1972) Yellow-green algae with chlorophyllide c. J Phycol 8:10–14

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert D, Elsworth R, Telling RC (1956) The continuous culture of bacteria; a theoretical and experimental study. J Gen Microbiol 14:601–622

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoskisson PA, Hobbs G (2005) Continuous culture—making a comeback? Microbiology 151:3153–3159

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hosper H, Meyer ML (1986) Control of phosphorus loading and flushing as restoration methods for Lake Veluwe, The Netherlands. Hydrobiol Bull 20:183–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu L, Hu W, Zhai S, Wu H (2010) Effects on water quality following water transfer in Lake Taihu, China. Ecol Eng 36:471–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jagtman E, Van der Molen DT, Vermij S (1992) The influence of flushing on nutrient dynamics, composition and densities of algae and transparency in Veluwemeer, The Netherlands. Hydrobiologia 233:187–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jochimsen EM, Carmichael WW, An J, Cardo DM, Cookson ST, Holmes CEM, De Antunes MBC, De Melo Filho DA, Lyra TM, Barreto VST, Azevedo SMFO, Jarvis WR (1998) Liver failure and death after exposure to microcystins at a hemodialysis center in Brazil. New Engl J Med 338:873–878

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jöhnk KD, Huisman J, Sharples J, Sommeijer B, Visser PM, Stroom JM (2008) Summer heatwaves promote blooms of harmful cyanobacteria. Global Change Biol 14:495–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kishida N, Akiba M (2009) Nuisance microorganisms in water supply systems: cyanobacteria. Jpn J Food Microbiol 26:195–201 (in Japanese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuwata A, Miyazaki T (2000) Effects of ammonium supply rates on competition between Microcystis novacekii (Cyanobacteria) and Scenedesmus quadricauda (Chlorophyta): simulation study. Ecol Model 135:81–87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li M, Zhu W, Gao L, Lu L (2013) Changes in extracellular polysaccharide content and morphology of Microcystis aeruginosa at different specific growth rates. J Appl Phycol 25:1023–1030

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma M, Liu R, Liu H, Qu J, Jefferson W (2012) Effects and mechanisms of pre-chlorination on Microcystis aeruginosa removal by alum coagulation: significance of the released intracellular organic matter. Sep Purif Technol 86:19–25

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Monod J (1949) The growth of bacterial cultures. Annu Rev Microbiol 3:371–394

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura K, Homma T, Miyabara Y, Hanazato T, Park H (2013) Effect of the hydraulic turnover rate on the apparent specific growth rate and biomass of Microcystis in Lake Suwa. Nippon Suisan Gakk 79:851–862 (in Japanese)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicklisch A (1999) Competition between the cyanobacterium Limnothrix redekei and some spring species of diatoms under P-limitation. Int Rev Hydrobiol 84:233–241

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oglesby RT (1969) Effects of controlled nutrient dilution on the eutrophication of a lake. In: National Academy of Sciences (ed) Eutrophication: causes, consequences, correctives; proceedings of a symposium. National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC, pp 483–493

    Google Scholar 

  • Paerl HW, Hall NS, Calandrino ES (2011) Controlling harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a world experiencing anthropogenic and climatic-induced change. Sci Total Environ 409:1739–1745

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rajasekhar P, Fan L, Nguyen T, Roddick FA (2012) A review of the use of sonication to control cyanobacterial blooms. Water Res 46:4319–4329

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robarts RD, Zohary T (1987) Temperature effects on photosynthetic capacity, respiration, and growth rates of bloom-forming cyanobacteria. N Z J Mar Freshw Res 21:391–399

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha C, Galvão H, Barbosa A (2002) Role of transient silicon limitation in the development of cyanobacteria blooms in the Guadiana estuary, south-western Iberia. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 228:35–45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Romo S, Soria J, Fernández F, Ouahid Y, Barón-Solá A (2013) Water residence time and the dynamics of toxic cyanobacteria. Freshw Biol 58:513–522

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith VH (1983) Low nitrogen to phosphorous ratios favor dominance by blue green algae in lake phytoplankton. Sci 221:669–671

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sommer U (1986) Phytoplankton competition along a gradient of dilution rates. Oecologia 68:503–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K, Amano Y, Machida M (2012) Growth and competitive characteristics of the blue-green alga Microcystis aeruginosa and the diatom Cyclotella sp. under nitrogen limitation. Jpn J Phycol 60:1–8 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Takeya K, Kuwata A, Yoshida M, Miyazaki T (2004) Effect of dilution rate on competitive interactions between the cyanobacterium Microcystis novacekii and the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda in mixed chemostat cultures. J Plankton Res 26:29–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tilman D, Kilham SS (1976) Phosphate and silicate growth and uptake kinetics of the diatoms Asterionella formosa and Cyclotella meneghiniana in batch and semicontinuous culture. J Phycol 12:375–383

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Welch EB, Barbiero RP, Bouchard D, Jones CA (1992) Lake trophic state change and constant algal composition following dilution and diversion. Ecol Eng 1:173–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshinaga I (2008) Studies on hydraulic and biochemical phenomena of an irrigation reservoir and ponded water in a paddy field. Bull Natl Inst Rural Eng 47:1–51 (in Japanese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhai S, Hu W, Zhu Z (2010) Ecological impacts of water transfers on Lake Taihu from the Yangtze River, China. Ecol Eng 36:406–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the River Fund (no. 27-1211-006) in charge of The River Foundation, Japan, and by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Number 15K18142. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Prof. Dr. Dennis B. George and Prof. Dr. Sharon Berk of Tennessee Technological University for their constructive comments on improving the manuscript. We also thank anonymous reviewers for providing their fruitful suggestions which improved the quality of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    Koichi Sugimoto, Yoshimasa Amano & Motoi Machida

  2. Faculty of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    Yusuke Negishi

  3. Safety and Health Organization, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    Yoshimasa Amano, Motoi Machida & Fumio Imazeki

Authors
  1. Koichi Sugimoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yusuke Negishi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yoshimasa Amano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Motoi Machida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Fumio Imazeki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Koichi Sugimoto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sugimoto, K., Negishi, Y., Amano, Y. et al. Roles of dilution rate and nitrogen concentration in competition between the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and the diatom Cyclotella sp. in eutrophic lakes. J Appl Phycol 28, 2255–2263 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0754-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0754-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation