Comparison of Nutrient Limitation in Freshwater and Estuarine Reservoirs in Tropical Urban Singapore
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 137, Issue 10
Abstract
Nutrient limitation was examined for two contrasting tropical reservoirs in Singapore: the semiurban, freshwater Kranji Reservoir and the highly urbanized, estuarine Marina Reservoir. Nutrient enrichment experiments in the laboratory showed that the Kranji Reservoir was phosphorus limited, whereas the Marina Reservoir was nitrogen limited. This was supported by field measurements of nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) ratios that showed average values of 16 and 8.3 for the Kranji Reservoir and Marina Reservoir, respectively. In addition to nutrient concentrations, total suspended solids measurements (TSS) showed high levels of turbidity in the Marina Reservoir (average ) compared to the Kranji Reservoir (average ). Thus, light could also be a significant limiting factor for algal growth in the Marina Reservoir. To estimate whether the estuarine system was a source or sink for nutrients, budget models were used to determine fluxes of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon. The calculations showed that there was a net loss of nitrogen from the estuarine Marina Reservoir through denitrification and a net loss of carbon. Phosphorus, in contrast, was estimated to be released from the sediments. These results support the earlier findings that the Marina Reservoir is currently nitrogen-limited. The next logical step is to trace the main sources of nutrients into the reservoirs and to deal with nutrient load reduction, bearing in mind that one reservoir is phosphorus limited and the other is nitrogen limited. The implication is that different remediation methods may need to be employed to tackle the eutrophication problems in the two contrasting reservoirs.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank the Public Utilities Board of Singapore for its generous funding support.
References
American Public Health Association (APHA). (1998). Standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater, 20th Ed., American Water Works Association and Water Environment Federation, Washington, DC, 9-32–9-75.
Arfi, R., Bouvy, M., Cecchi, P., Pagano, M., and Thomas, S. (2001). “Factors limiting productivity in 49 shallow reservoirs of North Cote d’Ivoire (West Africa).” Aquat. Ecosyst. Health Manage., 4, 123–138.
Dzialowski, A. R., Wang, S. H., Lim, N. G., Spotts, W. W., and Huggins, D. G. (2005). “Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth in central plains reservoirs, USA.” J. Plankton Res., 27(6), 587–595.
Fisher, T. R., Peele, E. R., Ammerman, J. W., and Harding, L. W. (1992). “Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton in Chesapeake Bay.” Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 82(1), 51–63.
Gobler, C. J., Buck, N. J., Sieracki, M. E., and Sanudo-Wilhelmy, S. A. (2006). “Nitrogen and silicon limitation of phytoplankton communities across an urban estuary: The East River-Ling Island Sound system.” Estuarine, Coastal Shelf Sci., 68, 127–138.
Gordon, D. C., et al. (1996). “LOICZ biogeochemical modelling guidelines.” LOICZ Reports and Studies No. 5.
Guildford, S. J., and Hecky, R. E. (2000). “Total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and nutrient limitation in lakes and oceans: Is there a common relationship?” Limnol. Oceanogr., 45, 1213–1223.
Guillard, R. R. L., and Ryther, J. H. (1962). “Studies of marine planktonic diatoms. I. Cyclotella, nana hustedt and detonula confervacea celve.” Can. J. Microbiol., 8, 229–239.
Harley, B. M. (2008). “Marin barrage water resources study.” Final Report by Camp Dresser & Mckee Int (S) Pte Ltd, Public Utilities Board, Singapore, 2.
Havens, K. E., and Walker, W. W. (2002). “Development of a total phosphorus concentration goal in the TMDL process for Lake Okeechobee, Florida (USA).” Lake Reservoir Manage., 18, 227–238.
Horne, A. J., and Goldman, C. R. (1994). Limnology, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, Singapore.
Kudela, R. M., and Dugdale, R. C. (2000). “Regulation of phytoplankton new production as determined by enclosure experiments with nutrient additions in Monterey Bay, California.” Deep Sea Res. Part II, 47, 1023–1053.
Lo, E. Y. M., et al. (2008). “Water quality monitoring, modeling and management for Kranji catchment/reservoir system—Phases 1 and 2.” Final Project Rep., Public Utilities Board, Singapore.
Maberly, S. C., King, L., Dent, M. M., Jones, R. I., and Gibson, C. E. (2002). “Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton and periphyton growth in upland lakes.” Freshwater Biol., 47, 2136–2152.
Pinckney, J. H. P., Harrington, M., and Howe, K. (1998). “Annual cycles of phytoplankton community-structure and bloom dynamics in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina.” Mar. Biol., 131, 371–382.
Quiblier, C., Leboulanger, C., Sane, S., and Dufour, P. (2008). “Phytoplankton growth control and risk of cyanobacterial blooms in the lower Senegal River delta region.” Water Res., 42, 1023–1034.
Redfield, A. C. (1934). “On the proportions of organic derivatives in sea water and their relation to the composition of plankton.” James Johnstone Memorial Volume, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, 176–192.
Ryther, J. H., and Dunstan, W. M. (1971). “Nitrogen, phosphorus and eutrophication in the coastal marine environment.” Science, 171, 1008–1013.
Smith, V. H., Sieber-Denlinger, J., and deNoyelles, F. (2002). “Managing taste and odor problems in a eutrophic drinking water reservoir.” Lake Reservoir Manage., 18, 319–323.
Sylvan, J. B., Dortch, Q., Nelson, D. M., Maier Brown, A. F., Morrison, W., and Ammerman, J. W. (2006). “Phosphorus limits phytoplankton growth on the Louisiana Shelf during the period of hypoxia formation.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 40, 7548–7553.
Talling, J. F., and Lemoalle, J. (1998). Ecological dynamics of tropical inland waters, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK.
Welch, E. B., and Jacoby, J. M. (2004). “Pollutant effects in freshwater.” Applied limnology, 3rd Ed., Spon, London.
Zou, L., Zhang, J., Pan, W., and Zhan, Y. (2001). “In situ nutrient enrichment experiment in the Bohai and the Yellow Sea.” J. Plankton Res., 23(10), 1111–1119.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 8, 2009
Accepted: Jul 7, 2010
Published online: Sep 15, 2011
Published in print: Oct 1, 2011
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.