Effects of benthic fish and light regimes on water quality and the growth of Vallisneria natans with two sediment types

In shallow eutrophic lakes, submersed macrophytes are essential for maintaining a clear water state and they are significantly affected by benthic fish disturbance, light availability, and sediment types. We conducted a mesocosm experiment with benthic fish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus), two light regimes, and submerged macrophyte (Vallisneria natans) growing in two sediment types to investigate the ecological effects of benthic fish and light regimes on water quality and the growth of submersed macrophyte. Our findings indicated that the benthic fish increased the concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total dissolved phosphorus in the overlying water. The effects of benthic fish on ammonia-nitrogen (NH4(+)-N) and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) contents were related to light regimes. Fish disturbance indirectly promoted the growth of macrophytes growing in sand by increasing NH4(+)-N content in overlying water. However, the increasing Chl-a content stimulated by fish disturbance and high light regime reduced the growth of submersed macrophytes growing in clay due to shading. Macrophytes with different sediments had different strategies coping with light. Plants growing in sand responded to low light mainly by adjusting the leaf and root biomass allocation, whereas plants growing in clay responded to low light by physiologically adjusting the soluble carbohydrate content. The findings of this study might help restore lake vegetation to some degree, and using nutrient-poor sediment might be an appropriate method to avoid the detrimental effects of fish-mediated disturbances on the growth of submerged macrophytes.

Automated summary

In shallow eutrophic lakes, submersed macrophytes are significantly influenced by benthic fish disturbance, light availability, and sediment types. This study conducted a mesocosm experiment to investigate the ecological effects of benthic fish and light regimes on water quality and the growth of submersed macrophyte. The results indicated that benthic fish increased the concentrations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total dissolved phosphorus in the overlying water, and the effects on ammonia-nitrogen (NH4(+)-N) and chlorophyll a (Chl-a) contents were related to light regimes.