Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line
Phytoplankton are vital components of freshwater ecosystems, serving as primary producers and ecological indicators of freshwater health. While substantial research has explored the dynamics and potential drivers of phytoplankton communities in freshwater lakes, the influence of altitude—a crucial g...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Water Research X |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914724000719 |
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| author | Wei Wang Zhongshi He Junping Lv Xudong Liu Shulian Xie Jia Feng |
| author_facet | Wei Wang Zhongshi He Junping Lv Xudong Liu Shulian Xie Jia Feng |
| author_sort | Wei Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Phytoplankton are vital components of freshwater ecosystems, serving as primary producers and ecological indicators of freshwater health. While substantial research has explored the dynamics and potential drivers of phytoplankton communities in freshwater lakes, the influence of altitude—a crucial geographic factor—remains unelucidated. In this study, we investigated 26 lakes located along the eastern section of the Hu Line (Heihe–Tengchong Line) from China, focusing on how altitudinal gradients shape phytoplankton communities. Our findings reveal that cyanobacteria increasingly dominate community abundance with rising altitude. However, this dominance results in a reduction of community diversity, as cyanobacteria outcompete other taxa, thereby narrowing the ecological niches available. Further analysis indicates that the effects of altitude are mediated primarily by dominant cyanobacteria, which are equipped with gas vesicles that provide an adaptive advantage under low atmospheric pressure conditions associated with higher altitudes. This physiological trait allows cyanobacteria to maintain buoyancy and occupy favorable niches in the water column, enhancing their proliferation at the expense of overall community diversity. The study underscores the critical role of altitude in modulating phytoplankton community structure through its direct influence on cyanobacteria. These findings contribute new insights into the ecological processes that regulate freshwater ecosystems across altitudinal gradients, and highlight the need for targeted management strategies in regions where cyanobacterial dominance (cyanobacterial blooms) may compromise water quality and biodiversity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-34aa6a1ad63f4f0eb9317ef51db587ab |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2589-9147 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Research X |
| spelling | doaj-art-34aa6a1ad63f4f0eb9317ef51db587ab2025-08-20T02:56:47ZengElsevierWater Research X2589-91472025-01-012610028110.1016/j.wroa.2024.100281Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu LineWei Wang0Zhongshi He1Junping Lv2Xudong Liu3Shulian Xie4Jia Feng5School of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, ChinaInstitute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Baltimore, MD, 21202, USASchool of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, ChinaSchool of Life Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China; Correspondence author.Phytoplankton are vital components of freshwater ecosystems, serving as primary producers and ecological indicators of freshwater health. While substantial research has explored the dynamics and potential drivers of phytoplankton communities in freshwater lakes, the influence of altitude—a crucial geographic factor—remains unelucidated. In this study, we investigated 26 lakes located along the eastern section of the Hu Line (Heihe–Tengchong Line) from China, focusing on how altitudinal gradients shape phytoplankton communities. Our findings reveal that cyanobacteria increasingly dominate community abundance with rising altitude. However, this dominance results in a reduction of community diversity, as cyanobacteria outcompete other taxa, thereby narrowing the ecological niches available. Further analysis indicates that the effects of altitude are mediated primarily by dominant cyanobacteria, which are equipped with gas vesicles that provide an adaptive advantage under low atmospheric pressure conditions associated with higher altitudes. This physiological trait allows cyanobacteria to maintain buoyancy and occupy favorable niches in the water column, enhancing their proliferation at the expense of overall community diversity. The study underscores the critical role of altitude in modulating phytoplankton community structure through its direct influence on cyanobacteria. These findings contribute new insights into the ecological processes that regulate freshwater ecosystems across altitudinal gradients, and highlight the need for targeted management strategies in regions where cyanobacterial dominance (cyanobacterial blooms) may compromise water quality and biodiversity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914724000719PhytoplanktonCyanobacteriaEukaryotic algaeEnvironmental driversAltitudinal gradient |
| spellingShingle | Wei Wang Zhongshi He Junping Lv Xudong Liu Shulian Xie Jia Feng Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line Water Research X Phytoplankton Cyanobacteria Eukaryotic algae Environmental drivers Altitudinal gradient |
| title | Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line |
| title_full | Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line |
| title_fullStr | Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line |
| title_short | Cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems: Evidences from the freshwater Lakes along the Hu Line |
| title_sort | cyanobacteria as dominant mediator of altitudinal gradient effects on phytoplankton community diversity in freshwater ecosystems evidences from the freshwater lakes along the hu line |
| topic | Phytoplankton Cyanobacteria Eukaryotic algae Environmental drivers Altitudinal gradient |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589914724000719 |
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