Spatiotemporal responses of plankton to submerged plant ecological restoration in shallow lakes

Submerged plants play a crucial role in maintaining the structure and function of lake ecosystems. To further explore the response mechanisms of water quality and plankton communities to a clear-water ecosystem construction, submerged plants were planted in Hongqi Lake in October 2023 to construct a clear-water ecosystem. A one-year monitoring survey of water quality parameters and plankton communities was conducted, and the influence of environmental factors on plankton community composition was analyzed. The results showed that: ① A total of 195 species of zooplankton from 4 groups were detected, with rotifers being the dominant group; 531 species of phytoplankton from 8 phyla were detected, with Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta being dominant.② Significant spatiotemporal differences were observed in water quality, plankton biomass, species composition, and diversity, indicating clear responses of plankton communities in terms of community structure, biodiversity, and ecological functions to the ecological restoration measures using submerged macrophytes.③ Water temperature and nutrients were the main environmental factors driving the structure and distribution pattern of plankton communities. This study indicates that the construction of a clear-water ecosystem helps improve water quality, enhance zooplankton diversity, and reduce the risk of cyanobacterial blooms. These results provide fundamental data support for a deeper understanding of the structure and function of lake clear-water ecosystems.