Author(s): Na Zhao; Mengzhen Xu; Hanmi Zhou; Yunpeng Jiang
Linked Author(s): Mengzhen Xu, Na Zhao
Keywords: The Yellow River source region; Meandering river; The Lanmucuoqu River; Macroinvertebrates; Biodiversity
Abstract: The Yellow River source region is the basin above the Tangnaihai hydrological station. Meandering river is the most common river pattern here. Research on the ecological pattern of meandering rivers in relation to environments is very important for the ecological management of the Yellow River source region. Field investigations of macroinvertebrates in different water bodies (main stream, tributaries, and oxbow lakes) were conducted in July 2012 and June 2013 in the Lanmucuoqu River (a typical meandering river) in the Yellow River source region. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) was used to analyze the difference between macroinvertebrate assemblages in different water bodies. Taxa richness, improved Shannon-Wiener index, EPT taxa richness, and Simpson diversity index were used to assess the biodiversity of macroinvertebrates. Altogether 39 taxa of macroinvertebrates belonging to 23 families and 36 genera were identified in the investigations. The study reach was almost in natural condition. The water quality was between grade I-III. The results showed that macroinvertebrate assemblages in the main stream, tributaries, and oxbow lakes were different. Hydrological connectivity was the main factor causing the difference, explaining 37.0% of the macroinvertebrate assemblage variance in this research. The biodiversity of macroinvertebrates in the main stream was highest, followed by the tributaries and oxbow lakes. Insecta was the main group in the main stream and oxbow lakes, while Crustacea was the main group in the tributaries. The composition of functional feeding groups in the main stream was homogeneous, while that in tributaries and oxbow lakes was less homogeneous.
Year: 2018