Author(s): Rui Han; Hongyi Yang; Li Zeng
Linked Author(s): Rui Han
Keywords: Hydropower development in the Jinsha River Coreius guichenoti the long-term population viability the Vortex model
Abstract: Coreius guichenoti is an endemic fish in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. It is of great significance to study the long-term population viability changes of C. guichenoti under the construction of cascade hydropower stations in the Jinsha River for the protection of this species. The Vortex model was used to construct the population viability model of C. guichenoti before and after the large-scale hydropower development in the main stream of the Jinsha River. The model considered the impacts of changes in critical environmental factors caused by hydropower development on population characteristics, and compared the population quantities, structures, and viabilities of C. guichenoti between these two periods. The results showed that before hydropower development, overfishing posed a significant threat to the population. Meanwhile, the population quantity decreased by 12.5% within 10 years. The population viability was relatively stable, and the population extinction probability was 1%. After hydropower development, the viability of C. guichenoti to resist environmental disturbance decreased, the population quantity declined by 42% in 10 years, while the increased to 36.1%. The average extinction time of C. guichenoti was 84 years. Under this condition, to conduct continuous releasing can improve the population viability of C. guichenoti to a certain extent. This research can provide reference for the conservation and restoration of endemic fish stocks under cascade hydropower development.
Year: 2025