Annual variations of biotic integrity in the upper Yangtze River using an adapted index of biotic integrity (IBI)

Adaptive modification and use of Karr's index of biotic integrity (IBI) for the upper Yangtze River, including 12 metrics in five categories, have typically occurred in line with the data collected by 6-year commercial fisheries investigation. These investigations were undertaken annually in four sections of the Upper Yangtze main channel between 1997 and 2002. These four monitoring sections (Yibin – YB, Hejiang – HJ, Mudong – MD, and Yichang – YC) were selected because they represent the part of the river that will be covering a 1000 km stretch that includes the future Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), upstream of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), an area influenced by the construction of TGD. In addition, historical data were used to show changes in the watershed by comparison with field investigations recently. The biotic integrity of the four sections were calculated and classified into different levels annually for recognizing its spatial and temporal variations. It was observed that IBI scores were becoming lower diminishingly since 1997 in all the four sections. Because all the data were collected before the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir, it is obvious that human activities, especially over-fishing, must be crucial factor instead of damming in the upper Yangtze River in that period.     

Immediate impacts of the second impoundment on fish communities in the Three Gorges Reservoir

Long and short term investigations have revealed dramatic changes in fish communities after impoundments by reservoirs. However, the process of these changes during impoundment remains poorly studied. In 2005 and 2006, before and during the second stage of impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), in the upper reaches of the Yangtze, China, we investigated fish catches to assess the impacts of reservoir filling on fish community structure. We conducted sampling at 2 sites, Wanzhou reach, which had been inundated by the first water filling in 2003, and Fuling reach, which still remained a riverine site before this water filling. The results revealed an evident and immediate shift of fish communities from lotic to lentic components. In the Wanzhou reach, during the filling, the abundance percentage of lentic fish increased to 94% compared to 69% before the filling. In the Fuling reach, after the filling, lotic fish declined in abundance from 99% to 85%, while lentic fish increased from less than 1% to 12% in abundance. Based on our investigation and the regulation scheme of the TGR, we predicted that after the completion of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD), there would be typical lacustrine, transitional and riverine zones in TGR, with their corresponding fish assemblages. We suggest that long term monitoring should be conducted to evaluate the future ecological effects, and different strategies implemented in these three zones for conservation purposes.     

Preliminary investigation on the changes in trophic structure and energy flow in the Yangtze estuary and adjacent coastal ecosystem due to the Three Gorges Reservoir

Water projects in the Yangtze River basin, especially the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), have strongly affected the biological and ecological integrity of the Yangtze estuary and adjacent coastal ecosystems. The Ecopath with Ecosim model was applied to study trophic structure and energy flow after the impoundment of TGR based on field surveys in 2006. The model results showed that the trophic levels ranged from 1.000 to 4.058; and 44% of the energy flows originated from the detritus food chain, while 56% originated from the grazing food chain in the trophic transfer process; the transfer efficiency of the ecosystem was 10.0%, and TPP/TR (Total Primary Production/Total Respiration) was 1.899. Compared with model results in 2000 (before impoundment of TGR), the trophic structure of the ecosystem did not exhibit substantial changes; however, the mean trophic level and catch amount decreased remarkably after impoundment. The estuary and adjacent coastal ecosystems were found to be more sensitive to external perturbations after impoundment.     

Assessing the effect of the Three Gorges reservoir impoundment on spawning habitat suitability of Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) in Yangtze River,China

The Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis), a kind of maricolous anadromous migratory fish species, is endangered and protected in China. Historical spawning habitats were distributed in the lower reaches of Jinsha River and the upper reaches of Yangtze River. Since the establishment of the Gezhouba water conservancy pivot in 1981, the migratory route of Chinese sturgeon spawning was blocked. Therefore, the fish was forced to propagate in a new spawning ground which was mainly distributed in the 4-km-long mainstream from Gezhouba Dam to Miaozui in the middle Yangtze River. After water storage and power generation of the Three Gorges reservoir (TGR) in 2003, the propagation of Chinese sturgeon has been impacted gradually. According to field surveys, the fish used to spawn twice a year before TGR impoundment, but only once happened after that. Besides, the spawning scale is also declining with each passing year.In order to simulate and evaluate the effect of TGR impoundment on spawning habitats of Chinese sturgeon, with consideration of their reproductive characteristics, an eco-hydrodynamic model was established by coupling a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model and a fuzzy fish habitat module based on fuzzy logic inference. Flow fields at the studied site in an impoundment scenario and an assumed no impoundment scenario were simulated with the 2D hydrodynamic model. Afterwards, by linking hydrodynamic conditions to the expert knowledge base, the fuzzy habitat model used fuzzy logic inference to compute habitat suitability of the Chinese sturgeon. In addition, the approach was used to propose a suitable instream flow range during the propagation period for Chinese sturgeon. The results indicated that the suitable instream flow needed for Chinese sturgeon spawning in middle Yangtze River should be between 10,000 m³/s and 17,000 m³/s and it also showed that after TGR was put into pilot impoundment operation at the designed water level of 175 m, the habitat suitability has decreased significantly in October. Besides, the water temperature of spawning habitat increased to a higher level in propagation period due to the impoundment of the TGR. All these alterations have had imposed tremendous impacts on the propagation of Chinese sturgeon. Therefore, adjusting impoundment schedule of the TGR to recover the water flow over spawning habitat in October is a crucial way to improve the habitat suitability. Furthermore, the presented method also provides a theoretical basis for further research on the assessment of habitat suitability of aquatic species at a micro-habitat scale.     

Acoustic assessment of the fish spatio‐temporal distribution during the initial filling of the Three Gorges Reservoir,Yangtze River (China), from 2006 to 2010

The aim of this study was to quantify the fish fauna in the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) and assess the tendency for change as well as for any spatial and temporal distribution. Two types of echo‐sounder equipment (HTI Model 241 and Simrad EY60) were used to detect the fish density and fish spatio‐temporal distribution. Eight surveys were conducted between 2006 and 2010, with the results showing that fish abundance in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) increased yearly from 15.5 to 123 ind./1000 m³, a change apparently correlated with the corresponding increase in the reservoir water level. Horizontally, fish density increased from the lower reaches to the upper reaches. Fish preferred inhabiting the area around the Zhongxian section during winter and the Chongqing section in spring. Vertically, fish density was highest in the lower layer, followed by the middle layer. The difference in fish density in different water layers observed in spring was not as evident as in the winter. Fish target strength throughout the eight investigations showed a skewed distribution with respect to fish size. The overall increasing tendency of fish density and the spatio‐temporal distribution of fish species were closely related to the water level of the TGR during the impounding period. Other influencing factors included water flow rate, water depth, reservoir shape, habitat type, and protection policy.     

水生所与三峡和葛洲坝水利工程中的鱼类保护

葛洲坝和三峡水利枢纽是世界上著名的大型水电工程, 对长江中下游防洪、发电、航运、水资源利用等产生了巨大的综合效益。如何减轻葛洲坝-三峡工程对长江流域生态环境及水生生物的影响经历了漫长而激烈的论证过程。中国科学院水生生物研究所(以下简称“水生所”)自始至终参加了这两个工程的水域生态环境影响评价和鱼类保护工作, 并且做出了重要的贡献。在葛洲坝工程的救鱼对象讨论中, 水生所指出救鱼的主要对象是中华鲟; 在救鱼的措施方面, 水生所科学论证了葛洲坝工程不必修建过鱼设施, 中华鲟在葛洲坝下能够自然繁殖, 中华鲟的救护措施以人工繁殖放流和产卵场的保护为主。在葛洲坝工程建设后, 水生所进一步预测了三峡工程对长江珍稀特有鱼类、重要经济鱼类以及渔业的影响, 并且建议在赤水河建立自然保护区, 作为长江上游珍稀特有鱼类的庇护所; 提出最早的生态调度想法, 通过三峡水库的调度形成人造洪峰, 刺激“四大家鱼”产卵等等。实践证明, 水生所做出的工程影响评价和鱼类保护建议是科学的、符合客观实际的, 对国家的决策起到了重要作用。     

三峡水库175 m试验性蓄水期库区及其上游江段鱼类群落结构时空分布格局

根据2010—2012年在三峡水库及其上游江段5个江段的商业性渔获物调查结果,对该区域鱼类群落结构的时空分布格局进行了分析。调查中共收集到鱼类87种,隶属于8目18科63属。沿坝前江段溯河而上至库尾以上流水江段,鱼类种类数逐渐增加。采用聚类分析(CA)和非度量多维标度(NMDS)方法对三峡水库175 m试验性蓄水期间各江段的鱼类种类组成进行分析,发现这5个调查江段的鱼类种类组成可以分为两个类群:类群Ⅰ包括秭归、巫山、云阳3个库区的江段,其鱼类种类组成在各年间的差异程度较大;而类群Ⅱ包括库尾的涪陵江段以及上游的江津江段,其鱼类种类组成在各年间差异程度较小。采用CA和NMDS方法对鱼类群落结构时空分布格局的分析结果表明,5个调查江段的鱼类群落结构在各年间可以分为不同类群;云阳与涪陵江段的鱼类群落结构的相似性逐年增加,而与秭归、巫山江段的相似性逐年减少;涪陵江段与江津江段的鱼类群落结构相似性也呈逐年减少趋势。总体而言,175m试验性蓄水对库中和库尾江段的鱼类群落结构的影响较大,但对库首以及库尾以上流水江段的影响均较小。     

Changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of fish communities after catastrophic habitat alteration caused by construction of Three Gorges Dam

Habitat alterations that result from anthropogenic disturbance impact both the abiotic and biotic conditions of ecosystems, causing changes in biodiversity in many parts of the world. Recently, the use of functional diversity has been suggested as an approach to better evaluate the effects of such disturbance on particular communities. Here, we investigated the temporal changes in species and functional diversities of fish communities in the downstream area of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) before, during, and after impoundment. We found two regime shifts in the fish community in 2004 and 2013 following impoundment. Although taxonomic diversity declined sharply at the first regime shift, it increased at the second shift. On the other hand, functional diversity declined throughout the same period, indicating the loss of functional diversity despite increased species diversity. Our analysis also showed that the fish communities shifted from under‐dispersion to over‐dispersion due to both a decrease in the relative abundance of migratory fish and an increase in the number of fish adapted to the new hydrologic conditions. Our results indicated that the impacts of dams on downstream fish communities may change over time. Interactions between species may become more important when the environment is stable.     

三峡库区支流生境因子对库区蓄水的响应

三峡水库的运行调度,使库区支流形成了截然不同的3种河段类型:完全受水库蓄水影响的145m回水段(完全河段),既受蓄水影响又受自然洪汛影响的145—175m回水段(双重河段)以及不受蓄水影响的大于175m的自然河流段(自然河段)。为明确库区蓄水对河流不同河段生境因子的影响程度及差异,对三峡库区36条重要支流的254个河段进行河流生境调查,进行不同河段下生境指标的因子分析,并进一步分析水文情势自然性与不同河段各生境因子的相关关系。结果表明,植被状况对3种不同河段来说均为重要生境因子,但受三峡水库蓄水影响,完全河段植被结构不完整;受库区蓄水影响,完全河段与双重河段及自然河段相比,流速流态状况、表层覆盖物状况、河岸带宽度、湿润率等生境因子有明显改变;水文情势自然性对不同河段生境因子的影响不同。     

Potential causes of habitat degradation and spawning time delay of the Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis)

In fish conservation, it is important to simulate fish habitat suitability and determine the potential impact on habitat quality and species behavior. This study analyzed the impact of several hydraulic projects on fish habitat quality and spawning time by numerical modeling. The case study involved the only Chinese sturgeon spawning site in the Yangtze River, China. Four habitat assessment indexes reflected both habitat quality and spatial characteristics, including fragmentation and connectivity. Previous studies did not simulate the water temperature impact on the fish habitat; spawning time delay was attributed to water temperature increases and discharge decreases. The results of the present study showed that the water temperature increase from the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) impoundment primarily caused the habitat degradation and spawning time delay. The effect of the water temperature increase on the degradation of average habitat suitability was eight times that of a decrease in discharge. A 25-day delay in the water temperature trend line was significantly correlated with a 26-day delay in the first spawning date. A decrease in discharge after TGR impoundment did not cause the spawning date delay. The Dike Project mainly impacted spawning site connectivity. Controlling the water temperature of the released water discharge is the most important means of conserving the wild Chinese sturgeon. This research can benefit other regions considering hydraulic projects by identifying potential factors impacting fish habitat quality and overall ecosystem health.     

三峡库区景观格局变化及其影响因素——以重庆市云阳县为例

从20世纪90年代中期至今是三峡库区生态-经济系统与景观格局发生重大变化的一段时期。论文通过对库区重庆市云阳县1994年与2002年遥感影像的解译,分析景观格局的变化,探讨生态建设、城镇化、基础设施建设、生态移民、农业产业结构调整等短时期内高强度的人类活动对该区域景观格局的影响。地形破碎、高差悬殊的山地特点以及在亚热带湿润气候主导下的山地立体气候分异等自然因素造成了景观格局的基本分异;有限的土地资源及其利用与分布状况是控制景观格局变化的主导因子;为保证三峡工程的顺利建设和安全运行而采取一系列生态经济建设活动成为促使景观格局变化的最重要的驱动因素;政治、经济和社会决策对景观格局变化具有重要影响。     

Monitoring the spatiotemporal change of Dongting Lake wetland by integrating Landsat and MODIS images,from 2001 to 2020

Dongting Lake wetland provides critical ecological functions in the Yangtze River Basin, however its landscape pattern has changed during the past 20 years due to both climate change and the human activities such as the operation of the Three Gorges dam (TGD). Numerous studies have used remote sensing technology to monitor such changes. However, most of studies were conducted at low spatial resolutions (250–1000 m) or low temporal resolutions (few images per year), which can introduce a degree of unreliability as regards the associated conclusions. To thoroughly analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of Dongting Lake wetland, high spatiotemporal resolution images from 2001 to 2020 have been produced by a modified version of the flexible spatiotemporal data fusion method (cuFSDAF 2.0) developed in this paper. This method is able to retrieve both phenology and land-cover changes both quickly and accurately. In addition, a tailored category by category extraction mapping method (CCEMM) is proposed to reliably classify wetland cover types. The mapping results show that the water area expanded by 66.43 Km² in the wet season, and shrank by 132.86 Km² in the dry season, between and including the years, 2001 to 2020. It appeared that the water area in the dry season declined obviously from 2003 to 2010 due to the operation of the TGD and is gradually stabilized after 2010. The reed area increased by 279.59 Km² and the grass area decreased by 220.46 Km² in the dry season, from 2001 to 2020. The shrinkage of the water area in the dry season may be one of the main factors driving reeds to occupy the previous grass growth area.     

三峡库区消落带水位变化对落羽杉C、N、P生态化学计量特征的影响

为了解落羽杉C、N、P生态化学计量特征对三峡库区消落带水位变化的响应,2016年9月测定重庆市忠县汝溪河消落带植被修复示范基地内种植于海拔165 m(重度水淹组)、170 m(中度水淹组)、175 m(对照组)的落羽杉根、枝条、叶片中碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)元素含量以及植株生长指标,分析水位变化对其生长和C、N、P生态化学计量特征的影响。结果表明:(1)三峡库区消落带落羽杉通过降低生长速率来适应水位变化,植株整体生长状态良好;(2)落羽杉各器官C含量分配比较均衡,N集中在叶片中,P主要贮存在根中,未见严重缺素现象;(3)重度水淹组植株叶片C含量受到水位变化显著提高;水位变化显著降低了中度水淹组植株根P含量却显著提高了其叶片P含量,导致中度水淹组植株叶片C∶P和N∶P显著降低,根C∶P显著升高。研究结果表明,三峡库区消落带落羽杉能保持器官之间合理的元素分配来保障其生长所需,表现出对三峡库区消落带水位变化的良好适应性。     

三峡水库蓄水前后水生态系统动态的初步研究

本专辑登录的论文系中国科学院知识创新工程重要方向性项目“三峡水库库区蓄水前后水生态系统变化的研究”的部分研究结果,内容包括1)蓄水前后水体理化参数变化;2)蓄水前后水生生物群落变化;3)三峡水库的富营养化问题;4)春季水华暴发过程的连续监测与动力学;5)对三峡水库生态学研究的几点思考和建议。       

长江三峡库区生态环境变化遥感研究进展

长江三峡库区是我国最重要的生态敏感区之一,受三峡水利工程和相关人类活动影响,其生态环境变化显著.揭示三峡库区生态系统结构、功能和生态过程的变化对于维护库区生态安全具有重要意义.生态环境遥感为此提供了关键途径,并在三峡库区生态环境研究中受到重视.现有的三峡库区生态环境变化遥感研究往往存在较大差异,难以有效反映生态环境变化和响应特征,加之生态本底和人类干扰活动的复杂性,三峡库区生态环境变化遥感研究仍面临诸多挑战.本文对库区环境变化遥感研究的发展阶段、研究尺度、遥感数据和方法等进行了系统总结,并从土地利用/覆盖变化、植被变化、水土安全、生态服务价值评价、生态系统健康与生态规划5个方面对库区生态环境变化遥感研究进展进行综述,在此基础上探讨了当前三峡库区生态环境变化遥感研究存在的问题,并提出未来研究中需重点关注的主要科学问题,以期为三峡库区生态环境管理和类似地区生态环境变化遥感研究提供参考.
     

Diversity and Above-Ground Biomass Patterns of Vascular Flora Induced by Flooding in the Drawdown Area of China's Three Gorges Reservoir

Hydrological alternation can dramatically influence riparian environments and shape riparian vegetation zonation. However, it was difficult to predict the status in the drawdown area of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), because the hydrological regime created by the dam involves both short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter impoundment for half a year. In order to examine the effects of hydrological alternation on plant diversity and biomass in the drawdown area of TGR, twelve sites distributed along the length of the drawdown area of TGR were chosen to explore the lateral pattern of plant diversity and above-ground biomass at the ends of growing seasons in 2009 and 2010. We recorded 175 vascular plant species in 2009 and 127 in 2010, indicating that a significant loss of vascular flora in the drawdown area of TGR resulted from the new hydrological regimes. Cynodon dactylon and Cyperus rotundus had high tolerance to short periods of summer flooding and long-term winter flooding. Almost half of the remnant species were annuals. Species richness, Shannon-Wiener Index and above-ground biomass of vegetation exhibited an increasing pattern along the elevation gradient, being greater at higher elevations subjected to lower submergence stress. Plant diversity, above-ground biomass and species distribution were significantly influenced by the duration of submergence relative to elevation in both summer and previous winter. Several million tonnes of vegetation would be accumulated on the drawdown area of TGR in every summer and some adverse environmental problems may be introduced when it was submerged in winter. We conclude that vascular flora biodiversity in the drawdown area of TGR has dramatically declined after the impoundment to full capacity. The new hydrological condition, characterized by long-term winter flooding and short periods of summer flooding, determined vegetation biodiversity and above-ground biomass patterns along the elevation gradient in the drawdown area.     

Silica retention in the Three Gorges Reservoir

A mass balance of dissolved silica (DSi) based on daily measurements at the inflow and outflow of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in 2007 and a more precise budget, with inflow, outflow, primary production, biogenic silica (BSi) settlement, dissolution of BSi in the water column and flux of DSi at the sediment–water interface in the dry season (April) of 2007 were developed. We address the following question: How much does the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) affect silica transport in the TGR of the Changjiang River (Yangtze River)? The DSi varied from 71.1 to 141 μmol/l with an average of 108 μmol/l, and it ranged between 68.1 and 136 μmol/l, with an average of 107 μmol/l in inflow and outflow, respectively, in the TGR in 2007. The linear relationship of DSi between inflow and outflow water is significant (r = 0.87, n = 362, p < 0.01). Along the main stream of the TGR, the DSi concentration decreases with an average concentration of 84.0 μmol/l in the dry season. However, the stratification of DSi was not obvious in the main channel of the TGR in the dry season. The BSi is within the range of 0.04–5.00 μmol/l, with an average concentration of 2.1 μmol/l in the main channel of the TGR, while it is much higher in Xiangxi Bay (1.30–47.7 μmol/l, 13.1 μmol/l) than in the main stream of the TGR and the other bays. After the third filling of the TGR, approximately 3.8% of the DSi was retained by the TGR based on a 12-month monitoring scheme in 2007, which would slightly reduce nutrient fluxes of the Changjiang River to the East China Sea (2%). DSi was lost during January to June and November, whereas the additions of DSi were found during the other months in 2007. The budget results also indicate that there is a slight retention of DSi. The retention of DSi in the reservoir is approximately 2.9%, while BSi is approximately 44%. Compared with the total silica load, the retention of DSi and BSi in the reservoir is only 5.0% in the dry season. With its present storage capacity, the reservoir does not play an important role as a silica sink in the channel of the TGR. The DSi load is significantly related to discharge both in inflow and outflow waters (p < 0.01). DSi retention, to some extent, is the runoff change due to impoundment.     

基于系统动力学的重庆三峡库区生态安全情景模拟及指标阈值确定

根据重庆三峡库区生态系统的特征,建立了经济子系统、人口子系统和环境子系统的系统动力学模型,并在此基础上确定了其模型的主要参数和反馈关系,通过历史值与仿真值的对比进行了检验。选择了可持续发展型、资源衰竭型和自然状态型3种情景进行模拟最终确定其生态安全的指标阈值,并将其确定的阈值应用于生态安全评价指标,得出重庆三峡库区生态安全指标的综合得分,由此看出库区生态安全呈逐年递增的趋势,但仍然处于较为敏感的时期,需要相关部门的配合,从而最终实现库区的可持续发展。     

Distribution and potential eco-risk of chromium and nickel in sediments after impoundment of Three Gorges Reservoir,China

The impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) altered the hydrodynamic conditions and modulated the accumulation and behaviors of heavy metals in the sediments. In this study, the sediments from the riparian and submerged areas of the entire TGR mainstream were collected in 2014 to investigate the spatial distribution of chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni), and to assess their contamination state and potential eco-risk to aquatic environment by multiple indices. Results showed that the concentrations of Cr and Ni in the sediments increased toward the dam. The concentrations of Cr were significantly higher in the riparian sediments than in the submerged sediments, whereas the Ni concentrations were comparable. The relatively high storages of Cr and Ni in the sediments existed near the dam. The physiochemical properties of sediments and local human activities controlled the spatial variations of Cr and Ni in the sediments. Currently, the TGR sediments are not heavily contaminated by Cr and Ni and show low eco-risk. Nevertheless, considering the decrease in sediment loads from the upper Yangtze River and the rapid urbanization in the TGR catchment, much more attentions should be paid to the geochemical behaviors and the eco-risk of Cr and Ni in the sediments.     

Comparisons in water relations of plants between newly formed riparian and non-riparian habitats along the bank of Three Gorges Reservoir,China

The water table in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) rose significantly since the construction of the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River. Little is known about how such a change in local hydrological condition will affect the ecophysiology of plants along the bank of the world’s largest reservoir. In this study, water relations of the dominant plants were investigated over an entire year period by comparing stable isotope compositions of xylem water, leaf water potentials and foliar carbon isotope ratios at a newly-formed riparian site near the river bank and two non-riparian sites at higher elevations. The isotopic compositions of xylem water indicated that the plants in the newly-formed riparian zone acquired water mainly from the soil previously infiltrated by local rain rather than the Yangtze River water. Predawn and midday water potentials of the riparian trees were also similar to those at the non-riparian sites. Leaf δ¹³C values of plants across the three sites also showed no difference, even though there was a significant difference among species. Our results indicate that plants at the newly formed transient riparian area along the bank of TGR do not depend on the Yangtze River water for their water sources and that rising water levels in this reservoir may not lead to immediate changes in water relations of the plants along the bank. Communicated by K. Winter.