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Effect of Danube River dam on Black Sea biogeochemistry and ecosystem structure

Author

Listed:
  • Christoph Humborg

    (Baltic Sea Research Institute)

  • Venugopalan Ittekkot

    (University of Hamburg)

  • Adriana Cociasu

    (Romanian Institute for Marine Research)

  • Bodo v. Bodungen

    (Baltic Sea Research Institute)

Abstract

Rivers contribute significantly to the pollution and eutrophication that have caused drastic changes to the ecosystem of the Black Sea1–3. Although damming is known to affect riverborne nutrient loads, and thus riverine ecosystems, evidence for significant effects in open coastal waters is sparse4–6. Here we present long-term data sets of water and nutrient discharge from the River Danube to the Black Sea. These data reveal a reduction in the dissolved silicate load of the river by about two-thirds since dam constructions in the early 1970s. A concomitant decrease in wintertime dissolved silicate concentrations by more than 60% was observed in central Black Sea surface waters. The consequent changes in silicon to nitrogen ratio of the Black Sea nutrient load appear to be larger than those caused by eutrophication alone, and seem to be responsible for dramatic shifts in phytoplankton species composition from diatoms (siliceous) to coccolithophores and flagellates (non-siliceous). Our results strongly suggest that the damming of the Danube has been instrumental in causing the observed changes in Black Sea surface waters3,7–9, and that the large number of dams in operation around the world today could similarly affect the food web structure and biogeochemical cycling in coastal seas.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Humborg & Venugopalan Ittekkot & Adriana Cociasu & Bodo v. Bodungen, 1997. "Effect of Danube River dam on Black Sea biogeochemistry and ecosystem structure," Nature, Nature, vol. 386(6623), pages 385-388, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:386:y:1997:i:6623:d:10.1038_386385a0
    DOI: 10.1038/386385a0
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiangnan Li & Baisha Weng & Denghua Yan & Tianling Qin & Kun Wang & Wuxia Bi & Zhilei Yu & Batsuren Dorjsuren, 2019. "Anthropogenic Effects on Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes of River Water in Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Xia Luo & Xinyi Xiang & Guoyi Huang & Xiaorui Song & Peijia Wang & Kaidao Fu, 2019. "Bacterial Abundance and Physicochemical Characteristics of Water and Sediment Associated with Hydroelectric Dam on the Lancang River China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-19, June.
    3. Hae-Jin Lee & Hae-Kyung Park & Se-Uk Cheon, 2018. "Effects of Weir Construction on Phytoplankton Assemblages and Water Quality in a Large River System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-14, October.
    4. Na Li & Lachun Wang & Chunfen Zeng & Dong Wang & Dengfeng Liu & Xutong Wu, 2016. "Variations of Runoff and Sediment Load in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, China (1950-2013)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, August.
    5. Ruonan Wang & Wenqi Peng & Xiaobo Liu & Cuiling Jiang & Wenqiang Wu & Xuekai Chen, 2020. "Characteristics of Runoff Variations and Attribution Analysis in the Poyang Lake Basin over the Past 55 Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-23, January.
    6. Yao Gong & Zhigang Yu & Qingzhen Yao & Hongtao Chen & Tiezhu Mi & Jiaqiang Tan, 2015. "Seasonal Variation and Sources of Dissolved Nutrients in the Yellow River, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-20, August.

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