Effects of Temperature on Algal Growth and Transport

The study on effects of temperature on algal growth and transport in Yuqiao reservoir provides important information on water-bloom forewarning. It has been concluded by experiments that under suitable conditions such as enough nutrients and solar radiation, temperature plays a significant role in the algal growth process. A higher temperature result in faster algal growth, and this was proved in most of the ecological dynamic models in earlier studies. However, most recent studies showed that when the water temperature exceeds a certain limit, it actually hinders the algal growth. Based on the above results, we modified the expression for temperature-impact coefficient, and an algal growth model was established based on the parameters such as nutrients, water temperature, wind, and other weather conditions in Yuqiao reservoir. Furthermore, the growth model was coupled with two-dimensional (2D) shallow water flow governing and convection-dispersion equations, and the 2D coupled model which could simulate the algal growth and transport process was established. The model was used to simulate the algal growth, enrichment, and migration in Yuqiao Reservoir in 2007. The results of simulation studies are in good agreement with the experimental data, and show that the modified expression for temperature-impact coefficient could describe the algal growth process more properly. It indicates that the model can be used for predicting algal growth and enrichment migration properties in Yuqiao reservoir and provide a useful reference for water-bloom forewarning.