Droevendaalsesteeg 10
6708 PB Wageningen
The Netherlands
Qing did his bachelor's programm in Nanjing, China on environmental science which is a broad topic, from which he collected basic knowledge on different systems (terrestrial, aquatic systems and atmosphere). After that he went abroad and pursuded his master in Magdeburg, Germany focusing on water research. During the second year of his Master, he started to work at a scientific institute "Helmholtz Central for Environmental Research (UFZ)", in the lake research department, as a student assistant. He collected some experience in analyzing high-frequency monitoring data collected from a reservoir observatory system (RRO). Later on, he completed his Master thesis at UFZ by investigating the potential for mitigating dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loading in a drinking water reservoir in the Harz Mountains, Central Germany. The results eventually turn out to be his first peer-reviewed scientific publication as the first author. Another achievement during his master that he is proud of is that he has been awarded Otto-von-Guericke Scholarship during the last year of his master's program (https://www.magdeburg.de/Start/Wirtschaft-Arbeit/Internationales-B%C3%B…;). On July 10, 2020, Qing moved to Wageningen, the Netherlands to pursue a Ph.D. degree. His work is based at the Aquatic Ecology Department of NIOO, and he is registered at the WUR under promotion by Dr.Ir. Miquel Lurling. The first project of his Ph.D. program is entitled "management of extreme events in lakes and catchments" (MANTEL-project), other projects that consist of his PhD program include "Functioning and ecosystem services provisioning of quarry lakes" and "Securing biodiversity, functional integrity and ecosystem services in DRYing rivER networks (Dryver)". Moreover he is involved into multiple GLEON projects (https://gleon.org/meetings/gleon22/main). His daily supervisor is Prof. Dr. Lisette De Sernopont Domis, leader of the working group "Aquatic Knowledge Centre Wageningen" (AKWA). In his free time, he plays soccer, currently in a student soccer club (GVC) from the University of Wageningen, and he also likes swimming to refresh himself from work pressure.
Healthy freshwater ecosystems can provide vital ecosystem services (ESs), and this capacity may be hampered due to water quality deterioration and climate change. In the currently available ES modeling tools, ecosystem processes are either absent or oversimplified, hindering the evaluation of impacts of restoration measures on ES provisioning. In this study, we propose an ES modeling tool that integrates lake physics, ecology and service provisioning into a holistic modeling framework. We applied this model to a Dutch quarry lake, to evaluate how nine ESs respond to technological-based (phosphorus (P) reduction) and nature-based measures (wetland restoration). As climate change might be affecting the future effectiveness of restoration efforts, we also studied the climate change impacts on the outcome of restoration measures and provisioning of ESs, using climate scenarios for the Netherlands in 2050. Our results indicate that both phosphorus reduction and wetland restoration mitigated eutrophication symptoms, resulting in increased oxygen concentrations and water transparency, and decreased phytoplankton biomass. Delivery of most ESs was improved, including swimming, P retention, and macrophyte habitat, whereas the ES provisioning that required a more productive system was impaired (sport fishing and bird watching). However, our modeling results suggested hampered effectiveness of restoration measures upon exposure to future climate conditions, which may require intensification of restoration efforts in the future to meet restoration targets. Importantly, ESs provisioning showed non-linear responses to increasing intensity of restoration measures, indicating that effectiveness of restoration measures does not necessarily increase proportionally. In conclusion, the ecosystem service modeling framework proposed in this study, provides a holistic evaluation of lake restoration measures on ecosystem services provisioning, and can contribute to development of climate-robust management strategies.
Rising dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is interfering with drinking water production. While strategies for DOC removal during water treatment have been successfully implemented, the potential for DOC load reduction by optimized reservoir operation is not yet fully explored, mainly constrained by data paucity on real-time DOC dynamics. In this study, we utilized the emerging in situ high-frequency (HF) monitoring technique for DOC and developed a simulation–operation framework that promotes DOC mitigation in Germany’s largest drinking water reservoir. Rappbode Reservoir is embedded in a network of smaller upstream reservoirs from which Königshütte Reservoir delivers the most water but can also be operated as a bypass system. Using high-frequency monitoring of DOC concentrations and discharge at the inflows and outflows, we constructed a mass balance model that simulated the DOC dynamics in the reservoir, allowing us to explore alternative operation regimes that deliver the same amount of water but a lower DOC load. Our results show that, through rapid decision-making that enables bypassing of water with high DOC concentrations around the drinking water reservoir, the optimized operation regime is able to reduce DOC load of the drinking water reservoir by 25 ± 3%. Therefore, our proposed operational strategy to minimize DOC loading to reservoirs is promising.
SUMMARY:
As human mobility decreased in 2020, the interaction between humans and nature changed significantly. On one hand, water clarity improved in the Amsterdam canals because boat traffic was reduced. On the other hand increased use of fishing water and national parks formed potential threats to the aquatic ecosystems. It is important to use these experiences to foster a more eco-centric mindset, building up to handling handling climate change and future pandemics.
ABSTRACT:
The anomalous past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a test of human response to global crisis management as typical human activities were significantly altered. The COVID-instigated anthropause has illustrated the influence that humans and the biosphere have on each other, especially given the variety of national mobility interventions that have been implemented globally. These local COVID-19-era restrictions influenced human-ecosystem interactions through changes in accessibility of water systems and changes in ecosystem service demand. Four urban aquatic case studies in the Netherlands demonstrated shifts in human demand during the anthropause. For instance, reduced boat traffic in Amsterdam canals led to improved water clarity. In comparison, ongoing service exploitation from increased recreational fishing, use of bathing waters and national parks visitation are heightening concerns about potential ecosystem degradation. We distilled management lessons from both the case studies as well as from recent literature pertaining to ecological intactness and social relevance. Equally important to the lessons themselves, however, is the pace at which informed management practices are established after the pandemic ends, particularly as many communities currently recognize the importance of aquatic ecosystems and are amenable to their protection.
Eutrophication has been identified as the primary cause of water quality deterioration in inland waters worldwide, often associated with algal blooms or fish kills. Eutrophication can be controlled through watershed management and in-lake measures. An extreme heatwave event, through its impact on mineralization rates and internal nutrient loading (phosphorus—P, and nitrogen—N), could counteract eutrophication control measures. We investigated how the effectiveness of a nutrient abatement technique is impacted by an extreme heatwave, and to what extent biogeochemical processes are modulated by exposure to heatwaves. To this end, we carried out a sediment-incubation experiment, testing the effectiveness of lanthanum-modified bentonite (LMB) in reducing nutrients and greenhouse gas emissions from eutrophic sediments, with and without exposure to an extreme heatwave. Our results indicate that the effectiveness of LMB may be compromised upon exposure to an extreme heatwave event. This was evidenced by an increase in concentration of 0.08 ± 0.03 mg P/L with an overlying water volume of 863 ± 21 mL, equalling an 11% increase, with effects lasting to the end of the experiment. LMB application generally showed no effect on nitrogen species, while the heatwave stimulated nitrification, resulting in ammonium loss and accumulation of dissolved oxidized nitrogen species as well as increased dissolved nitrous oxide concentrations. In addition, carbon dioxide (CO2)-equivalent was more than doubled during the heatwave relative to the reference temperature, and LMB application had no effect on mitigating them. Our sediment incubation experiment indicates that the rates of biogeochemical processes can be significantly accelerated upon heatwave exposure, resulting in a change in fluxes of nutrient and greenhouse gas between sediment and water. The current efforts in eutrophication control will face more challenges under future climate scenarios with more frequent and intense extreme events as predicted by the IPCC.
Qing Zhan is involved in Project 10, one of 12 MANTEL Projects. This project will support stakeholders through development of measures that mitigate the negative consequences of extreme events, including toxic cyanobacterial blooms, and runoff induced high nutrient loads. Lowering the trophic status of surface waters is expected to increase resilience against predicted global warming and therewith reduce problematic cyanobacterial blooms. Cost-efficient mitigation calls for a tailor made benefit oriented restoration plan, building on an arsenal of restoration techniques, combined with innovative techniques.
A very promising way of moving lakes to an oligo/mesotrophic state is by using geo-engineering techniques that reduce cyanobacterial biomass and bioavailable phosphorus. The overall objective of the project is to test the hypothesis that such rehabilitated waters are not only more resilient to increased water temperatures, but also to pulsed inflows of nutrients. Experiments will be conducted in highly controlled indoor mesocosms – so called “Limnotrons” – that all will start eutrophic, including nutrient rich sediments: half will be treated (rehabilitated) and exposed to four temperatures ranging from low summer (20°C), normal (23°C), warm (26°C) and extreme (29°C). Effects of heat wave events and pulsed summer rain events (dilution and nutrient enrichments) will be studied. In addition, to gain a better understanding of cost-efficient mitigation, the early stage researcher will have access to HFM data of the catchment area Mark-Vliet-Dintel, and Volkerakzoommeer-Binnenschelde, two areas where rehabilitation projects are ongoing. To detect the negative impacts of episodic events on these degraded systems, a modelling framework will be developed. The results will give a much needed management perspective of both the Dutch water board Brabantse Delta as well as the drinking water company ATLL.
Qing Zhan is the ESR for Project 10. Qing will be primarily based in the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Netherlands, supervised by Dr Lisette de Senerpont Domis, and will be co-supervised by and spend study time with Dr Miquel Lurling, Wageningen University, and Dr. Rafa Marcé, Catalan Institute for Water Research, Spain. The PhD will be co-awarded by University of Girona and Wageningen University.
This webpage is used for documentation of my outreach activities, including conferences, workshops, etc. Building bridges with other aquatic scientists, lake managers as well as water users, is not only essential for disseminating the research output but a prerequisite for transdisciplinary research. Good teamwork empowers us in front of climate change crises.