Jean Devaux

Growth rate of four freshwater algae in relation to light and temperature

Four algae of freshwater phytoplankton were studied in monospecific culture: Chlorella vulgaris, Fragilaria crotonensis, Staurastrum pingue and Synechocystis minima. Experiments were performed to determine the growth rate over a wide range of light intensities (5–800 µE m−2 s−1, 15/9 light/dark photoperiod) and temperatures (10–35 °C). The results provide a set of parameters (particularly the maximal growth rate associated to optimal conditions of light and temperature) for a three-equation model used to described the growth rate response of a non-nutrient-limited culture.

Experimental study of the impacts of silver carp on plankton communities of eutrophic Villerest reservoir (France)

We examined the impact of five silver carp biomass levels (0, 8, 16, 20, and 32 g m−3) on plankton communities and water quality of Villerest eutrophic reservoir (France). We realized the experiments using outdoor mesocosms. The presence of silver carp led to changes in zooplankton and phytoplankton assemblages. High fish biomass strongly reduced cladoceran abundance (through predation). Silver carp inefficiently grazed down particles < 20 μm. More importantly, however, the suppression of herbivorous cladocerans resulted in the increase of small size algae which were relieved from grazing and benefit from high nutrient concentrations.In contrast, in mesocosms without fish, the dominance of cladocerans (mainly Daphnia) controlled small size algae and probably also larger size algae (colonial chlorophytes, cyanobacteria). Thus, the Secchi disc transparency increased markedly. Through cascade effects, the modification of grazers communities led to changes in the utilization patterns of the added nutrients by phytoplankton communities. In high fish biomass treatments, nutrients were more efficiently accumulated into particulate fractions compared with no-fish and low-fish biomass treatments that were characterized by higher dissolved nutrients concentrations. Zooplankton was an essential source of food for silver carp. The productivity of zooplankton sustained a moderate silver carp biomass (up to 16 g m−3). In the presence of the highest fish biomass, the productivity of zooplankton was not large enough and silver carps fed on additional phytoplankton. Although mesocosms with high fish biomass were characterized by a slight cyanobacteria development compared with other fish mesocosms, silver carp was not effective in reducing cyanobacteria dominance.

Numerical modeling of thermal stratification in a lake reservoir. Methodology and case study

Abstract: A numerical model of the hydrodynamic and thermal structure of an artificial lake was designed and developed as a basis for an ecological water-quality model. It allows the quantification of the vertical mixing processes that govern not only the thermal structure but also the nutrient exchanges, and more generally the distribution of dissolved and particulate matter between the different parts of the lake. The vertical temperature profiles were calculated by solving the one-dimensional heat transfer equation that takes into account the internal heat sources and sinks, advection due to inflow and outflow and the molecular and eddy diffusions. A finite-difference discretization of first-order in time and second-order in space was chosen. The numerical time-step was three hours and layers were one-meter in thickness. These time- and space-scales are well-suited to perform a precise simulation of the different processes occurring over a seasonal period. Moreover, this simulation requires only a reasonable amount of computer time.¶This model was used to study an artificial lake, (i.e. a reservoir), located in the high Loire valley (Roanne, France). To precisely identify the physical processes followed with an accurate numerical modeling, on-site data were acquired intensively over three years. Temperatures were monitored hourly at 11 different levels in the three main reaches of the reservoir to study the lake hydrodynamics and thermal behaviour. Meterological measurements were made every 20 minutes. One-year data were used for calibration, whereas the model was validated using the data collected over the other two years.

Phosphorus exchanges between sediment and water in trophically different reservoirs

Abstract Phosphorus exchanges within the sediment-water interface coupled with several parameters were studied in several reservoirs with geologically different catchment basins and different trophic levels in Morocco and France. The results showed that these exchanges were regulated by a combination of the physical-chemical variability of the environment, the geological composition of the catchment basins and the trophic status of the lake. In the hypereutrophic Villerest reservoir, iron-bound phosphorus is the major form of phosphorus trapped by the sediment whereas, in Moroccan reservoirs, calcium-bound phosphorus prevailed. We suggest that drastic control of phosphorus input into waters be carried out via a large dephosphorization program of the tributaries to avoid bloom formation in the Villerest reservoir and calcium-bound phosphorus dissociation with upward release of bioavailable phosphorus.

Impact of moderate silver carp biomass gradient on zooplankton communities in a eutrophic reservoir. Consequences for the use of silver carp in biomanipulation.

We examined the impacts of moderate gradient silver carp biomass (five levels from 0 to 36 g.m-3, i.e. about 0-792 kg.ha-1) on zooplankton communities of the eutrophic Villerest reservoir (France). During our mesocosm experiment changes in zooplankton assemblages were dependent on silver carp biomass. In the fishless and low fish biomass treatments, zooplankton abundance increased through time, owing to a peak in cladoceran density, but decreased (mainly cladocerans) at highest fish biomass. Copepods and rotifers were less affected at the highest fish biomass and dominated zooplankton communities. We highlighted that the presence of high silver carp biomass could lead to changes in phytoplankton assemblage via the impact on herbivorous zooplankton. Since silver carp efficiently graze on particles > 20 microns, the suppression of herbivorous cladocerans could result in an increase in small size algae (< 20 microns) abundance since these species would be released from grazers as well as competitors (large algae grazed by silver carp) and nutrients levels would be enhanced by fish internal loading. Our results showed that the use of low silver carp biomass (< 200 kg.ha-1) would allow us to minimize these negative effects.

Seasonal changes in alkaline phosphatase activity of bacteria and microalgae in Lake Pavin (Massif Central, France)

Seasonal changes in alkalinephosphatase activity of bacteria and microalgae werestudied in the dimictic Lake Pavin (Massif Central,France), to test whetherthis activity is primarily algal or bacterial andwhether the APA presents seasonal variations coupledwith abiotic and biotic variables. Samples werecollected at different depths from May 1992 to May1993. The specific phosphatase activities wereanalysed spectrophotometrically with p-NitrophenylPhosphate (p-NPP) as substrate and were related to theprotein concentrations. No correlation was foundbetween alkaline phosphatase activity and solublereactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations across anannual cycle. The specific activities of the smallclass (0.2–1.2 μm) were the highest and thecontribution of this picoplanktonic size class(0.2–1.2 μm) increased with depth. In addition, thelinear correlations between alkaline phosphataseactivity and protein concentration seemed to indicatethat most of these enzymes are constitutive. However,it cannot be excluded that the high phosphorusconcentrations repress APA.Finally, the measure of APA does not seem to be avalid quantitative test of the deficiency ofphosphorus for aquatic microorganisms.

The microbial food web in the recently flooded Sep reservoir : Diel fluctuations in bacterial biomass and metabolic activity in relation to phytoplankton and flagellate grazers

The spatial distribution of the bacterial biomass and production and of potential heterotrophic activity (PHA) weree measured every 4 h between 23 July (10:00 h) and 25 July (10:00 h) 1997 in a recently flooded oligo-mesotrophic reservoir (the Sep Reservoir, Puy-de-Dôme, France), in relation to temperature, the phytoplankton biomass and production, and the abundance of heterotrophic flagellates. The temperature varied slightly with time during the study, but the well-established thermal stratification agreed well with vertical distribution of the biological variables that were measured. Only the bacterial production and the PHA showed significant diel changes (t-test,p<0.05), with maxima at 18:00 h and minima at 02:00 h. A significant positive relation was found between bacterial abundance and that of heterotrophic flagellates, which, rather than being an association related to the thermal stratification of the water column, was considered to reflect a trophic relation between these two communities. A carbon balance analysis suggested that at least 30% of the C from primary production measured during the sampling period was used by bacteria, and that 42% of this secondary production, or 6% of the primary production, would be used for the development of the heterotrophic flagellates present. We conclude that the bacterioplankton forms, at least occasionally, an important source of carbon for higher trophic levels, and reject the hypothesis that bacterial production in the Sep Reservoir depends exclusively on organic matter of allochthonous origin.

Proteolytic and glycolytic activities in size-fractionated surface water samples from an oligotrophic reservoir in relation to plankton communities

Abstract: From February to August 1996, the following parameters were determined in surface water samples from an oligotrophic reservoir: concentrations of dissolved combined amino acids (DCAA), monosaccharides (DFCHO) and polysaccharides (DCCHO); activities of glycolytic and proteolytic enzymes associated with three size fractions (0-0.2 μm, 0.2-2 μm, and 2-100 μm); densities and biomass of free-living and attached bacteria, nanoflagellates, and metazoan zooplankton. The mean concentrations of DCAA, DFCHO and DCCHO were 2.7, 0.5 and 1.4 mg C l-1 respectively. Both βGlcA and αGlcA showed a high substrate affinity. The enzyme activities associated with all size fractions fluctuated throughout the year. Highest activities were generally associated with the 2-100 μm fraction; the mean percentages of leucine-aminopeptidase (LeuA), β-glucosidase (βGlcA), α-glucosidase (αGlcA) and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (βGlcNAcA) activities were 58%, 62%, 76%, and 59%, respectively. Activities of αGlcA and βGlcNAcA in the 0.2-2 μm fraction were correlated with the abundance of free-living picobacteria (bacteria <2 μm). The biomass-specific activity of attached bacteria was 18 to 64 fold higher for attached compared to free-living bacteria. The abundances of autotrophic and mixotrophic nanoflagellates (ANF) were correlated with LeuA (r = 0.59, P < 0.05) and the βGlcA (r = 0.64, P < 0.05) activities in the 2-100 μm fraction.

Diel changes in the alkaline phosphatase activity of bacteria and phytoplankton in the hypereutrophic Villerest reservoir (Roanne, France)

The diel changes of the size fractionated alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) were studied in relation to several abiotic and biotic factors in Villerest reservoir (located on the Loire river, near the city of Roanne, France), bihourly during two days in July 1992. The APA measured in this work exceeded considerably those reported in the literature, suggesting that dissolved mineral phosphorus was not available to microorganisms. At 1 m, the APA was primarily due to bacteria which actively assimilated organic P compounds released by photosynthetic algal metabolism. At 5, 10 and 20 m, the APA was predominantly algal. The high concentrations in SRP (soluble reactive phosphorus) would indicate that orthophosphates were not bioavailable. The reverse (i.e. availability to phytoplankton) would have resulted in undetectable levels of P-PO3- 4 due to the massive proliferation of algae in Villerest reservoir.

Evidence for the contribution of ciliates to denitrification in a eutrophic lake.

High levels of nitrate reductase (NR) activity were found during a field survey in the epilimnion and metalimnion of a temperate lake (Lake Aydat, France) during summer stratification, when nitrates were analytically undetectable (< 0.5 mg L(-1)). We hypothesized that the NR activities were due to phytoplankton in the epilimnion, due to the ciliate Loxodes at the mid-depth oxic/anoxic interface and preferentially due to bacteria in the anoxic hypolimnion of the lake. In support of the hypothesis, a significant negative correlation was detected in the metalimnion between the abundance of Loxodes and nitrate concentrations, indicating nitrate use by the ciliate, and significant positive correlations were found between bacteria and nitrite concentrations at depth. The correlations are corroborated by additional evidence from chlorophyll a/NRA ratios, nitrite dynamics, and lake circulation patterns. Other ciliates besides Loxodes did not appear to significantly contribute to NRA potential. The data suggest that facultatively anaerobic ciliates such as Loxodes may be significant contributors to denitrification in eutrophic planktonic ecosystems.