Remote sensing observation of algal bloom encroachment into aquatic vegetation in Taihu Lake over the past two decades

Chen GUO; Junfeng XIONG; Jinyi HUANG; Man HOU; Xudong ZHOU; Chen LIN; Ronghua MA; Yang XIANG

doi:10.1007/s00343-026-5484-y

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Remote sensing observation of algal bloom encroachment into aquatic vegetation in Taihu Lake over the past two decades

Updated：2026-07-15

- Remote sensing observation of algal bloom encroachment into aquatic vegetation in Taihu Lake over the past two decades
- Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Pages: 1-21(2026)
- Affiliations：
  
  1.College of Geomatics, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China
  2.State Key Laboratory of Lake and Watershed Science for Water Security, Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China
  3.School of Civil Environmental Engineering and Geography Science, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
  4.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 211135, China
- Author bio：
  
  jfxiong@niglas.ac.cn
- Funds：
- DOI：10.1007/s00343-026-5484-y
  CLC：
- Received：27 November 2025，
  
  Accepted：26 December 2025，
  
  Online First：12 February 2026，
- Accepted：
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GUO Chen,XIONG Junfeng,HUANG Jinyi,et al.Remote sensing observation of algal bloom encroachment into aquatic vegetation in Taihu Lake over the past two decades[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology,
DOI：

GUO Chen,XIONG Junfeng,HUANG Jinyi,et al.Remote sensing observation of algal bloom encroachment into aquatic vegetation in Taihu Lake over the past two decades[J].Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, DOI：10.1007/s00343-026-5484-y.

摘要

Abstract

Taihu Lake is one of the most severely eutrophic large lakes worldwide

characterized by a complex ecosystem where algal blooms and aquatic vegetation coexist

and it serves as a critical regional water source. Identifying the channels through which algal blooms invade vegetated areas and understanding their underlying mechanisms is essential for effective lake management. In this study

multi-source remote-sensing data were used to extract the spatial patterns of algal bloom frequency and aquatic vegetation over the past 22 years. We detected the major encroachment routes of algal blooms into vegetated zones and revealed the long-term interaction mechanisms between algae and vegetation. Algal blooms were persistently concentrated in the western and northern bays

exhibiting an overall fluctuating upward trend. Aquatic vegetation was mainly distributed in four eastern bays

remained relatively stable before 2015

declined markedly in 2016 due to dredging and shoreline modifications

and then gradually recovered. A stable negative response relationship was observed between algal blooms and aquatic vegetation

jointly regulated by seasonal climate and nutrient structure. High temperatures and intense precipitation in summer facilitated bloom expansion

whereas low temperatures in winter favored vegetation recovery. Meanwhile

lower TN to TP ratios suppressed vegetation growth and enhanced bloom encroachment during summer. Three primary channels of algal bloom encroachment into vegetated areas were identified: the northern shoreline of Gonghu Bay

the surroundings of Dongshan Island

and the southern marginal zone. Among them

the water intake in northern Gonghu Bay represents the most vulnerable zone requiring priority control. Although bloom risk is relatively low for the central and southern water intakes

maintaining the existing hydrodynamic regime and vegetation structure remains essential to prevent vegetation degradation

and enhanced monitoring is needed to identify in situ bloom occurrences within vegetated regions.

关键词

Keywords

references

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