Author(s): Shiguo Xu; Yuyu Liu; Xin Jiang; Jihui Gao
Linked Author(s): Shiguo Xu
Keywords: River; Structure and function of river ecosystem; Ecological restoration; Liangshui River
Abstract: With the increase in the industrial development and improper resources use, rivers have been diverted, channelized, straightened and corseted in levees, barely considering biodiversity protection and river dynamics. Series of structural and functional decline of river system has emerged to result in the unbalance between natural features and socio-economic functions of rivers. A main purpose of the current policy is to restore damaged river to an ecologically healthy status. The assessment of river ecosystem is the prerequisite for ecological restoration, which could provide theoretical foundation for river management. In this paper, the Liangshui River in Beipiao city is selected as a study site. An assessment index system on structure and function of river ecosystem is firstly established in which the weight of the assessment index is determined based on Analysis Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. Then, the evaluation value is gained at the ecosystem level by Comprehensive Index Assessment. The result shows that the Liangshui River ecosystem is defective in structure and sub-healthy in function. Based on the above, several measures are recommended to restore the ecological system of Liangshui River, including: (1) constructing and restoring riparian vegetation in buffer zone along riverbanks; (2) planning for the protection of the existing natural ecological system in river wetlands and development of artificial wetland as appropriate; (3) employing eco-island remediation technology near the estuary of the research river.
Year: 2013