| WANG Baodong,BROCKMANN Uwe. 2008. Potential impacts of Three Gorges Dam in China on the ecosystem of East China Sea. Acta Oceanologica Sinica, (1):67－76 |
| Potential impacts of Three Gorges Dam in China on the ecosystem of East China Sea |
| Potential impacts of Three Gorges Dam in China on the ecosystem of East China Sea |
| Received:November 19, 2006 Revised:June 12, 2007 |
| DOI： |
| Key words:Three Gorges Dam nutrient flux Changjiang River East China Sea ecosystem eutrophication |
| 中文关键词: Three Gorges Dam nutrient flux Changjiang River East China Sea ecosystem eutrophication |
| 基金项目:The National Key Basic Research Program of Ministry of Science and Technology of China under contract No.2001CB4097;the Foundation of Key Laboratory of Marine Ecosystem and Biogeochemistry of State Oceanic Administration of China under contract No.LMEB200603. |
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| Abstract: |
| The Changjiang River in China was dammed in 2003. The possible changes in matters fluxes from the river downstream after the completion of Three Gorges Dam and their potential impacts on the ecosystem of the East China Sea are discussed.The estuarine and coastal waters in the East China Sea were heavily fertilized by the inflow of nutrient-rich freshwater from the Changjiang River, which has led to severe eutrophication and frequent harmful algal blooms, thus worsening the ecosystem health in this area. Analysis showed that the nutrient loadings are very likely to be reduced in the lower Changjiang River due to the construction of Three Gorges Dam. Especially for the total phosphorus, the discharges to the East China Sea will be reduced by one-third, which would relieve the severe eutrophication in this area. However, the expected decrease in the riverine silicate discharge would lead the ratio of silicon to nitrogen to be much less than 1 in the estuarine and coastal waters and thus may cause an elevation of flagellate growth. The changes in the annual water discharges and their seasonal distributions below the dam will be minor. Reduction of suspended particulate matter loading, due to the sedimentation behind the dam, will reduce the nutrient loadings of the particulate form especially for phosphorus, and decrease the turbidity of estuarine and coastal waters. On the other hand, this may enhance the erosion of the delta and the coasts as well as modifythe benthic ecosystem. |
| 中文摘要: |
| The Changjiang River in China was dammed in 2003. The possible changes in matters fluxes from the river downstream after the completion of Three Gorges Dam and their potential impacts on the ecosystem of the East China Sea are discussed.The estuarine and coastal waters in the East China Sea were heavily fertilized by the inflow of nutrient-rich freshwater from the Changjiang River, which has led to severe eutrophication and frequent harmful algal blooms, thus worsening the ecosystem health in this area. Analysis showed that the nutrient loadings are very likely to be reduced in the lower Changjiang River due to the construction of Three Gorges Dam. Especially for the total phosphorus, the discharges to the East China Sea will be reduced by one-third, which would relieve the severe eutrophication in this area. However, the expected decrease in the riverine silicate discharge would lead the ratio of silicon to nitrogen to be much less than 1 in the estuarine and coastal waters and thus may cause an elevation of flagellate growth. The changes in the annual water discharges and their seasonal distributions below the dam will be minor. Reduction of suspended particulate matter loading, due to the sedimentation behind the dam, will reduce the nutrient loadings of the particulate form especially for phosphorus, and decrease the turbidity of estuarine and coastal waters. On the other hand, this may enhance the erosion of the delta and the coasts as well as modifythe benthic ecosystem. |
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