Author(s)

Y. Y. Wu, P. P. Li, Y. L. Zhu, J. Z. Wang & C. Q. Liu

Abstract

The hydro-environment in karst areas is changeable and fragile. Constructing artificial lakes can play a stabilizing role to the environment. Taking Lakes Hongfeng, Baihua and Aha in Guizhou in Southwest China as examples, this paper studies the lakes’ stabilization of the hydro-environment of catchments. Through cluster analysis on hydro-chemical composition of karst areas, we discovered that the karst environment is greatly affected by the catchments environment, and chemical composition in water bodies also can sensitively mirror the input of pollutants. Hydro-chemical composition in artificial lakes is relatively stable, and they can buffer external input pressure from the environment. Through a correlation analysis on the concentration of phosphorus, sulphur, and nitrogen of the lake water body and the input quantity of pollutants from catchments, we can find out different proportion of pollutants to participate in chemical composition. Most of the pollutants joined the geochemistry cycle, which performs a self-purification function through sediment, biological metabolism, and diffusion. Moreover, through analysing the sediment and diffusion flux of phosphorus in Lake Baihua at different periods, we found that the ability to self-purify phosphorus in the lake was being weakened. These results offer a theoretical foundation for karst hydro-environmental improvement and protection. Keywords: hydro-environment, karst, artificial lake.

Keywords

hydro-environment, karst, artificial lake.