Monthly change of community structure of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay after impoundment of the Three Gorges Teservoir, China

Xiangxi Bay, a typical bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China, was formed in June 2003 after the impoundment of the TGR. We investigated the community structure of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay from August 2003 to August 2004. Benthic abundance and biomass were calculated per unit area of sediment. A total of 26 taxa were identified. They included two families of Lamellibranchia (7.7% of the total taxa number), two families of Oligochaeta (50%), Chironomidae (38.5%), and one other animal (3.8%). The average density and biomass were 276 ind./m² and 0.301 g/m², respectively. Oligochaetes and chironomids constituted the major groups, and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, Procladius sp., Branchiura sowerbyi, Tubificidae sp1. and Polypedilum scalaenum group sp. were the common taxa in this reservoir system. Among them, L. hoffmeisteri and Procladius sp. were the dominant species, and contributed 37.0% and 28.3% of the total density, respectively. The standing crop of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay was relative low, compared with other similar reservoirs. Our studies demonstrate that the standing crop increased gradually with time. The total density and biomass in August 2004 were 8.8 and 14.3 times those of the initial impoundment, separately. Oligochaetes did not become the sole dominant group, indicating that the sediment loading in Xiangxi Bay may be not serious. __________ Translated from Acta Hydrobiologica Sinica, 2006, 30(1): 64–69 [译自: 水生生物学报]     

三峡水库底栖动物群落结构特征及其与蓄水前资料的比较

为了解三峡水库在蓄水后底栖动物的群落结构特征, 探索水文情势改变对底栖动物群落结构的影响,于2012 年8 月、11 月及2013 年4 月对三峡水库的秭归、巫山、云阳、忠县和木洞五个断面底栖动物的群落结构进行了调查分析。结果表明: (1)共记录底栖动物43 个属种, 木洞种类最多(29 种), 秭归最少(12 种)。优势种为多足摇蚊(Polypedilum sp.)、前突摇蚊(Procladius sp.)、肥满仙女虫(Nais inflata)、霍甫水丝蚓(Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri)和一种钩虾(Gammaridae);(2)在空间分布上, 密度以木洞最高(81802740) ind./m2,忠县最低(11642) ind./m2;生物量以木洞最高(8.663.65) g/m2, 云阳最低(0.170.06) g/m2;(3)在季节动态上,密度以秋季最高(31401450) ind./m2, 夏季最低(11537) ind./m2;生物量则以春季最高(3.832.11) g/m2, 夏季最低(0.650.46) g/m2;(4)底栖动物密度和生物量随着水深的增加呈下降趋势, 在水深小于20 m 的浅水区递减率最大;(5)丰度/生物量比较曲线(ABC 曲线)分析显示, 巫山属于中等干扰条件下的群落结构(W=-0.003), 而木洞属于严重干扰条件下的群落结构(W=-0.101);(6)与建坝前相比, 三峡水库底栖动物密度和生物量趋于减少。流速减缓、水深增加、水位波幅加大和沉积物中营养盐的升高可能是造成三峡水库底栖动物群落结构改变的主要因素。       

Spatial Distribution of Macroinvertebrate Community along a Longitudinal Gradient in a Eutrophic Reservoir‐Bay during Different Impoundment Stages,China

The longitudinal patterns of the macroinvertebrate community in the Xiangxi Bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) were investigated during the second (2nd) and third (3rd) impoundment stages (October 2006–July 2010), to test the effects of increased water level fluctuations (WLF) on the macroinvertebrates. By comparing to the former reports of the first (1st) impoundment stage (inter‐annual WLF 4 m), we found that oligochaetes dominated in three different stages in the Xiangxi Bay. However, the total abundance of macroinvertebrates showed a dramatical decline from the 1st to 2nd stage (inter‐annual WLF 11 m), but changed slightly from the 2nd to 3rd stage (inter‐annual WLF 30 m). This indicated that higher WLF in the 2nd stage had already greatly reduced the macroinvertebrates abundance, thereby the disturbance in the 3rd stage could only slightly affect the already reduced abundance. Three longitudinal zones (the mainstream zone, the lacustrine zone and the transitional zone) were found based on the macroinvertebrate density, biomass, and taxa richness, combined with the geographical location of each site. Significant differences in density and biomass of macroinvertebrate were found among different zones (P < 0.05), yet no significant difference was found in taxa richness (P > 0.05). Two‐way indicator species analysis showed that the community type in most sites varied in different seasons from the 2nd stage, exhibiting a dynamic zonation pattern, which differed with the stable pattern of the 1st stage. This seasonal feature was coupled to the seasonal changes of the WLF. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

滆湖底栖动物群落的时空变化及水质生物学评价

2009年5月-2010年2月对滆湖底栖动物群落进行了调查,并根据底栖动物群落结构对水质进行了生物学评价。结果表明:采集到底栖动物共35种,隶属于3门25属;优势种类为中国长足摇蚊(Tanypus chinensis)、霍甫水丝蚓(Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri)、苏氏尾鳃蚓(Branchiura sowerbyi)、克拉泊水丝蚓(L.claparedeianus)、中华河蚓(Rhyacodrilussinicus);滆湖底栖动物的年均密度为374.1ind·m-2,寡毛类对密度的贡献最大,占年均密度的77.4%,最大密度出现在夏季,春季最低,St14年均密度高于其他站点;滆湖底栖动物的年均生物量为17.78g·m-2,软体动物对生物量的贡献最大,占年均生物量的97.4%,夏季生物量最大,冬季最低,St14年均生物量明显高于其他各个站点;底栖动物的密度和生物量随季节变化明显,密度的季节变化表现为夏季>秋季>春季>冬季,生物量变化表现为夏季>春季>秋季>冬季;Shannon-Wiener多样性指数值(H’)、Margalef多样性指数值(D)、Pielou均匀度指数值(J)和BI指数值表明滆湖水体处于中度到重度污染状态。     

Longitudinal Differences of Phytoplankton Community during a Period of Small Water Level Fluctuations in a Subtropical Reservoir Bay (Xiangxi Bay,Three Gorges Reservoir,China)

The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) had a great inflow discharge with small water level fluctuations in the flood season of the year 2008, when a large‐scale cyanobacterial bloom broke out in Xiangxi Bay (a tributary bay behaving like a lake) for the first time after the construction of the TGR impoundment. To compare spatiotemporal longitudinal differences of phytoplankton community structure during this period, weekly surveys were performed in Xiangxi Bay. The cyanobacterial bloom lasted from June 6 to July 18, 2008, with Microcystis aeruginosa as the dominant species. During this bloom the species diversity, evenness and community change rate was relatively low. The probable causes for the interruption of the bloom were precipitation and water temperature. In the non‐cyanobacterial bloom period (July 25 to September 26, 2008) many other species dominated the community including Stephanodiscus hantzschii and Cryptomonas ovata, with higher values of species diversity, evenness and community change rate. As for the longitudinal differences, the community structure in the riverine zone was different from that in other zones, indicating the important effect of inflow from the upstream of Xiangxi Bay. The management actions in Xiangxi Bay should prevent blooms in the mainstream, lacustrine and transitional zone. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

三峡成库后香溪河库湾底栖动物群落演变及库湾纵向分区格局动态

水库生态系统演替是水库生态学研究及水库管理过程中都比较关注的问题。三峡水库自2003年6月成库以来,有关水库生态系统演替的研究却鲜见报道。以三峡水库香溪河库湾底栖动物为研究对象,分析了自2003年8月—2010年7月3个不同蓄水阶段底栖动物群落的演变状况,并对库湾纵向分区格局的动态变化进行了探讨。结果表明,水库蓄水后,摇蚊科和颤蚓科成为第一批定殖者,并以摇蚊科为主;随后,颤蚓科中的霍甫水丝蚓逐渐成为优势类群;直到2004年4月仙女虫科的肥满仙女虫与霍甫水丝蚓共同主导群落。一期蓄水后约1a,底栖动物密度和物种数呈现出明显的增长趋势,空间上呈现出"中间高、两头低"的格局。库湾总体密度于2006年4月达到最高值,高达24146个/m2。二期蓄水导致底栖动物总密度显著降低,而三期蓄水后则变化相对较小。随着时间的增长,库湾底栖动物偶见种出现的频率逐渐降低,群落逐渐趋于稳定。基于TWINSPAN(two-way indicator species analysis)的分析,一期蓄水后期,香溪河库湾纵向上底栖动物群落结构呈现出稳定的分区格局,库湾中部区域呈现出相同的群落类型,无季节变化;而自二期蓄水开始,库湾纵向上大部分样点的群落类型发生改变,表明二期蓄水的干扰较强;之后呈现出季节性波动,此种格局与水位的季节波动相关联,表明三峡水库底栖动物逐渐适应水库周期性的调度,群落结构呈现稳定的季节性周期波动。     

不同营养类型水库大型底栖动物的群落结构特征及其水质评价

2006～2007年对湖北省4座不同营养类型水库的大型底栖动物群落结构和多样性进行周年研究,并进行了水质评价.共采集到底栖动物39种,其中寡毛类14种、水生昆虫19种、软体动物6种.以金沙河的底栖动物种类最多,达24种,其次为徐家河19种,道观河和桃园河各10种.4座水库优势种类各异,金沙河为多毛管水蚓(Aulodrilus pluriseta)、隐摇蚊(Cryptochironomus sp.)、多足摇蚊(Polypedilum sp.);徐家河为瑞士水丝蚓(Limnodrilus helveticus)、前突摇蚊(Procladius sp.);桃园河为多毛管水蚓(Aulodrilus pluriseta)、长跗摇蚊(Tanytarsus sp.);水质污染比较严重的道观河水库优势种类为霍甫水丝蚓(Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri)、大红德永摇蚊(Tokunagayusurika akamusi).各库底栖动物年平均密度和生物量分别为:金沙河316 8ind · m-2,1294.3mg · m-2 ;道观河318.2ind · m-2,430.7mg · m-2 ;徐家河330.3ind · m-2,517.4mg · m-2;桃园河209ind · m-2,325 3mg · m-2 .TN、TP、COD平均含量变幅分别为0.392～1.018、0.011～0.042、3.505～9.166mg · L-1;采用理化分析、Goodnight-Whitley指数、Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef指数、Simpson指数、Pielou均匀度指数对水库的水质进行了综合评价,结果表明:金沙河水库属中营养型;徐家河和桃园河属中-富营养型;道观河水库属富营养型.对水库主要的物理化学因子与寡毛类、水生昆虫、软体动物密度,以及各类底栖动物之间进行矩阵分析,发现水生昆虫与水深呈负相关关系,随着水深的增加,其密度和种类下降,水深超过10m,下降的幅度更明显;寡毛类有从属于TN和TP含量的趋势, TP变化对底栖动物的影响更大;寡毛类、水生昆虫、软体动物三者之间无相关性.     

长江下游南京至江阴江段底栖动物的种群密度与分布状况

本文报道了1979年10—11月在长江下游南京至江阴江段53个采集点上共采到寡毛类8种,多毛类2种,水生昆虫14种,软体动物10种。干流中种类最多,支流次之,支流的河口地带最少。在种群密度方面,支流>干流>支流的河口地带;生物量支流>支流的河口地带>干流。关于长江下游的环境因子对底栖动物种类组成及数量分布的影响,作者也进行了扼要的分析。     

Instar distribution and biomass of Chironomidae larvae in Lago El Junco, Isla San Cristobal, the Galápagos

The distribution, abundance and standing crop biomass of chironomid larvae were determined at one-meter depth intervals along three radial transects. Samples were collected by coring soft sediments while diving. Three genera were found in the lake: Chironomus sp. (collector-filtering larvae), Ablabesmyia sp. (predatory larvae) and Goeldichironomus sp. (collector-filtering larvae). Standing crop densities of chironomids, averaged over the entire lake, varied from 30,594 larvae/m² to 11,428 larvae/m² at different depths. No statistically significant zonation in density was found for the two most common taxa, Chironomus sp. (87.8% of specimens) and Ablabesmyia sp. (9.0%), however the deepest zones (>4 m) had the lowest estimated densities. Significant differences in standing crop biomass were detected, with the 6 m depth having greatest biomass. The increase in standing crop biomass was a function of (1) lower frequency of first instars of Chironomus sp. and Ablabesmyia sp. at 6 m (2) higher average larval biomass of both species at 6 m and (3) very significant increase in average biomass of fourth instars of Chironomus sp. at 6 m compared to fourth instars at shallower depths. These results indicate that the lentic chironomids of this isolated oceanic habitat consist of a small number of species that are ecological generalists and tolerant of low oxygen concentrations.     

The benthic macro-algae of Georgian Bay,the North Channel and their drainage basin

Thirty-nine subgeneric taxa of macroalgae have been collected from 83 sites in Georgian Bay, the North Channel and their drainage basin. There were 15 species in the Bay and Channel and 32 species in streams, rivers and impoundments in the basin. Only 8 of the Bay and Channel species were also found in the watershed. Cladophora glomerata was the most important species in Georgian Bay and the North Channel, having an estimated 640 × 10³ m² cover and 19 × 10⁴ kg fresh weight standing crop. However, this species was largely concentrated on the southwestern shorelines of these water bodies. Its distribution along the northeastern shoreline appears to be limited by total ion and phosphorus levels. Chara globularis/vulgaris was the subdominant taxon in Georgian Bay and the North Channel with an estimated 70 × 10³ m² cover and 15 × 10³ kg fresh weight biomass. This species was more widely distributed than C. glomerata. No other taxon contributed significantly to the standing crop including the frequently occurring Ulothrix zonata, Zygnema spp. and Spirogyra spp. The maximum benthic macroalgal biomass was estimated to be approximately 10% of the phytoplankton biomass.     

Comparative study on macroinvertebrate communities along a reservoir cascade in Xiangxi River Basin

Three cascade reservoirs (Gudongkou Reservoir 1 (GR1), Gudongkou Reservoir 2 (GR2), and Xiangxi Bay of Three-Gorge Reservoir in Xiangxi River Basin, China were selected to investigate macroinvertebrate ecology in a cascade reservoir system. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) implied that water quality was degrading along the reservoir cascade. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) showed that sampling stations located in the lacustrine zone of a reservoir are representatives in comparing macroinvertebrate assemblages along the reservoir cascade. Oligochaetes were numerically dominant in both GR1 and Xiangxi Bay, and chironomids were dominant in GR2. A similar pattern was also exhibited in taxon composition. Benthic assemblages of the 3 reservoirs were all dominated by pollution-tolerant taxa in spite of their differences in water quality. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) disclosed that turbidity influenced the benthic assemblages significantly. Total organic carbon (TOC)/Turbidity was applied to determine the influence of organic matter on turbidity. The ratio in GR2 was the lowest among the 3 reservoirs, which implicated that the influence of organic matter on turbidity was smaller in GR2 than in the other 2 reservoirs, suggesting that inorganic matter contributed substantially to the turbidity of GR2.     

武汉东湖底栖动物群落结构和动态的研究

根据1973—1975年对东湖底栖动物的调查研究结果,列出了31种东湖底栖动物的名录,比较了各湖区各类动物的现存量及其在不同年份的变动情况,进而估算了全湖底栖动物资源的蕴藏量。此外还分析了7个优势种在现存量中的意义及分布型式。环境分析表明:底栖动物的密度有随水深的增加而递减的趋势。昆虫和寡毛类在密度和生物量方面从属于湖水中总氮和总磷的含量,它们的生物量与湖水的有机物耗氧量也有从属关系。对以上关系进行了简单的数学描述。讨论了底栖动物在渔业上的合理利用问题,测算了湖中底栖动物的供饵能力,提出了青鱼和杂食性鱼类的增放量。从水质生物监测的角度,根据底栖动物的密度或生物量推算出五项生物指标数值,对各湖区污染程度和年变化情况作了初步评价。       

Comparative study on macroinvertebrate communities along a reservoir cascade in Xiangxi River Basin

Three cascade reservoirs (Gudongkou Reservoir 1 (GR1), Gudongkou Reservoir 2 (GR2), and Xiangxi Bay of Three-Gorge Reservoir in Xiangxi River Basin, China were selected to investigate macroinvertebrate ecology in a cascade reservoir system. Principal Components Analysis (PCA) implied that water quality was degrading along the reservoir cascade. Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) showed that sampling stations located in the lacustrine zone of a reservoir are representatives in comparing macroinvertebrate assemblages along the reservoir cascade. Oligochaetes were numerically dominant in both GR1 and Xiangxi Bay, and chironomids were dominant in GR2. A similar pattern was also exhibited in taxon composition. Benthic assemblages of the 3 reservoirs were all dominated by pollution-tolerant taxa in spite of their differences in water quality. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) disclosed that turbidity influenced the benthic assemblages significantly. Total organic carbon (TOC)/Turbidity was applied to determine the influence of organic matter on turbidity. The ratio in GR2 was the lowest among the 3 reservoirs, which implicated that the influence of organic matter on turbidity was smaller in GR2 than in the other 2 reservoirs, suggesting that inorganic matter contributed substantially to the turbidity of GR2.     

Longitudinal Hydrodynamic Characteristics in Reservoir Tributary Embayments and Effects on Algal Blooms

Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Since the impoundment in 2003, however, algal blooms have been often observed in the tributary embayments. To control the algal blooms, a thorough understanding of the hydrodynamics (e.g., flow regime, velocity gradient, and velocity magnitude and direction) in the tributary embayments is particularly important. Using a calibrated three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, we carried out a hydrodynamic analysis of a typical tributary embayment (i.e., Xiangxi Bay) with emphasis on the longitudinal patterns. The results show distinct longitudinal gradients of hydrodynamics in the study area, which can be generally characterized as four zones: riverine, intermediate, lacustrine, and mainstream influenced zones. Compared with the typical longitudinal zonation for a pure reservoir, there is an additional mainstream influenced zone near the mouth due to the strong effects of TGR mainstream. The blooms are prone to occur in the intermediate and lacustrine zones; however, the hydrodynamic conditions of riverine and mainstream influence zones are not propitious for the formation of algal blooms. This finding helps to diagnose the sensitive areas for algal bloom occurrence.     

Temporal and Spatial Distributions of Rotifers in Xiangxi Bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

From July 2003 to June 2005, investigations of rotifer temporal and spatial distributions were car‐ried out in a bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir, Xiangxi Bay, which is the downstream segment of the Xiangxi River and the nearest bay to the Three Gorges Reservoir dam in Hubei Province, China. Thirteen sampling sites were selected. The results revealed a high species diversity, with 76 species, and 14 dominant species; i.e., Polyarthra vulgaris, Keratella cochlearis, Keratella valga, Synchaeta tremula, Synchaeta stylata, Trichocerca lophoessa, Trichocerca pusilla, Brachionus angularis, Brachionus calyciflorus, Brachionus forficula forficula, Ascomorpha ovalis, Conochilus unicornis, Ploesoma truncatum and Anuraeopsis fissa. After the first year of the reservoir impoundment, the rotifer community was dominated by ten species; one year later it was dominated by eight species. The community in 2003/2004 was dissimilar to that in 2004/2005, which resulted from the succes‐sion of the dominant species. The rotifer community exhibited a patchy distribution, with significant heterogeneity observed along the longitudinal axis. All rotifer communities could be divided into three groups, corresponding to the riverine, the transition and the lacustrine zone, respectively. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

三峡水库富营养化问题与对策研究

三峡水库蓄水后,大部分库湾已出现富营养化态势,并暴发了数次以甲藻(拟多甲藻)和硅藻(小环藻)为主的水华现象,特别是在春季。以香溪河库湾为例,分析两周年的营养状态变化,总体上说,除冬季外,大多数月份为富营养,在春季则为重富营养。对三峡水库22条入库支流库湾的营养状态进行综合评价,结果表明,有5条(22.7%)支流库湾为中营养,17条(77.3%)支流库湾为富营养(重富营养化支流库湾有10条,占45.5%);但三峡水库本身水质尚好,仍保持中营养状态。统计分析表明,入库支流流域的年均流量和流域面积与支流库湾叶绿素a存在显著负相关关系,说明支流库湾越小或年均流量越小,藻类叶绿素a浓度就越高,即越容易在春季形成水华。文中讨论了控制和减缓富营养化几项措施。       

Weekly dynamics of phytoplankton functional groups under high water level fluctuations in a subtropical reservoir-bay

In reservoirs, water level fluctuations strongly influence phytoplankton development. However, studies on the response of phytoplankton in the reservoir-bay to water level fluctuations are very scarce, especially in the highly dynamic reservoir system, for instance, the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) on the Yangtze River in China. Therefore, we carried out weekly monitoring in a typical tributary bay—Xiangxi Bay of the TGR from March 2008 to March 2009, to analyze the dynamics of phytoplankton functional groups, as well as their response to the water level fluctuations and other environmental conditions. The phytoplankton functional groups G (short, nutrient-rich water columns with high light and without nutrient deficiency), M (dielly mixed layers of small eutrophic, low latitude with high insolation and without flushing and low total light) and Lo (summer epilimnia in mesotrophic lakes with segregated nutrients and without prolonged or deep mixing) were the most important in biomass, mainly represented by Pandorina morum and Eudorina elegans, Microcystis aeruginosa, Peridiniopsis niei and Ceratium hirundinella, respectively. The dominant functional groups had close relationships with the water level fluctuations, light and nutrient, etc. Principal components analysis and redundancy analysis indicated that phytoplankton functional groups in Xiangxi Bay were restricted by the mixing regime and other abiotic variables under the influences of the mixing regime. In Xiangxi Bay, the water level fluctuation showed significant correlations with many physicochemical variables, including the mixing depth (r = 0.97, p < 0.001) and the relative water column stability (r = −0.80, p < 0.001). The study implied that water level fluctuations had complex influence on environmental changes and selecting for phytoplankton functional groups in a highly dynamic reservoir-bay. The important characteristics of the dominant phytoplankton functional groups in Xiangxi Bay were also discussed.     

Analysis of temperature variation characteristics in the three gorges reservoir area after impoundment of the three gorges dam

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) at the end of the upper reach of the Yangtze River results in a great belt-shape of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China. Thus the atmospheric problems related to the TGR have attracted substantial interest from most meteorologists around the world. To understand the regional temperature changes in the TGR area since the impoundment of the TGD in June 2003, temperature data from 32 meteorological stations in the TGR area during 1961—2014 period were collected, and the trends in the temperature changes in the past 20 years, including years before and after impoundment of the TGD, were analysed by the methods of cumulative anomaly analysis, moving average, and linear regression analysis. The results showed that the annual mean temperature over the TGR area showed a slight overall upward trend in the past 54 years, and the temperature rose substantially at the period between 1985 and 2014. After impoundment, a warming trend was obvious in the TGR area. The monthly mean temperature after impoundment was higher than that before impoundment.     

香溪河流域梯级水库底栖动物群落比较

对香溪河流域3座梯级水库（古洞口一级水库、古洞口二级水库和三峡水库香溪河库湾）的底栖动物进行了比较生态学研究。运用主成分分析（PCA）对梯级水库的水质进行研究,表明沿着水库的梯度水质逐渐恶化。运用非度量多维标度法（NMS）对梯级水库的底栖动物群落结构进行相似性比较,表明选择水库湖泊区的样点进行梯级水库底栖动物生态学研究具有典型代表性。在物种组成和密度方面,古洞口一级水库和香溪河库湾都是寡毛类占优势,古洞口二级水库是摇蚊幼虫占优势。但3个水库都是耐污种占优势。采用典型对应分析（CCA）解析底栖动物群落结构与环境因子的关系,显示3个水库群落结构的差异主要由浊度造成。用TOC／Turb来表征有机物对浊度的贡献,结果显示古洞口二级水库有机物对浊度的贡献相对较小,因而表明泥沙等无机物对浊度的贡献相对较大。     

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.