he third Yunshui Scholarship winner Dr. PENG Xue gave a lecture at IHB on May 18, 2023. (Credit: IHB) 

The third recipient of the Yunshui Scholarship, Dr. PENG Xue, delivered a lecture titled “The impact of residual aluminum salts on the physiological ecology of Vallisneria natans and response of leaf biofilm in Hangzhou West Lake” at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on May 18, 2023. The lecture was presided by MIAO Wei, deputy director of the institute.  

Dr. Peng initially shared her experiences at IHB. Her research primarily focuses on the critical challenges of the specific regulation of phytoplankton community structure by submerged aquatic plants in ecological restoration of eutrophic lakes. She chose West Lake in Hangzhou as research site, where she employed advanced techniques including sonar detection and fluorescence analysis, determined the distribution characteristics of submerged plants in West Lake and the in-situ response patterns of algal photosynthesis. Her research findings provided in-situ evidence supporting the pivotal role of secondary metabolites produced by submerged plants, notably the total phenols, in the regulation of phytoplankton communities and biomass.  

Furthermore, Dr. Peng’s research also focuses on the ecological issue of excessive biofilm proliferation, a factor affecting the stable recovery of submerged plants in Hangzhou's West Lake. Through a combination of on-site and laboratory experiments, her work revealed that aluminum salt stress played a pivotal role in promoting the growth of epiphytic algae by increasing the phosphorus content within the epiphytic biofilm on submerged plant leaves. These findings hold significant importance in elucidating the mechanisms by which biofilms induce the decline of submerged aquatic plants in Hangzhou's West Lake. 

During her five years study at IHB，Dr. Peng has published several first authors papers in journal such as Water Research, Journal of Environmental Management, Water, and Ecological Engineering. Towards the end of her lecture, Dr. Peng shared a few personal insights from her study experience. She encouraged graduate students to remain focused on their present undertakings when faced with uncertainty, advocating for proactive approaches in overcoming anxieties and challenges inherent in scientific research. 

The one million Yunshui Scholarship, donated by WANG Wenzhao, was established in 2020, in recognition of students who graduate with honors.