Ecological assessment using macroinvertebrates as indicators in the Upper Yellow and Yangtze Rivers.pdf

J. Geogr. Sci. 2013, 23(5): 871-882 DOI: 10.1007/s11442-013-1050-6 ? 2013 Science Press Springer-Verlag Received: 2012-05-30 Accepted: 2013-03-28 Foundation: National Natural Science Foundation of China, No No International Science Tech- nology Cooperation Program of China, No.2011DFA20820; 2011DFG93160; Fund from Tsinghua University, No.20121080027 Author: Pan Baozhu (1979–), Ph.D, specialized in freshwater ecology. E-mail: zhuzipan@163.com *Corresponding author: Wang Zhaoyin (1951–), Professor, E-mail: zywang@ /content/1009-637X An exploratory analysis of benthic macroinverte- brates as indicators of the ecological status of the Upper Yellow and Yangtze Rivers PAN Baozhu1, *WANG Zhaoyin2, LI Zhiwei2, YU Guo-an3, XU Mengzhen2, ZHAO Na2, Gary BRIERLEY4 1. Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, Wuhan 430010, China; 2. State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; 3. Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, Beijing 100101, China; 4. School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand Abstract: This study presents findings of the first systematic analysis of aquatic biotic as- semblages in the source region of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. It provides an initial basis with which to select representative organisms as indicators to assess the aquatic ecological status of rivers in this region. Macroinvertebrates are considered to be good indicators of long-term environmental changes due to their restricted range and persistence over time. Field investigations of macroinvertebrates were conducted in August 2009 in the source re- gion of the Yellow River, and in July 2010 in the source region of the Yangtze River. Altogether 68 taxa of macroinvertebrates belonging to 29 families and 59 genera were ident