Author(s): Xiangdong Pan; Ran Li; Jingjie Feng; Xiaolong Cheng And Kefeng Li
Linked Author(s): Jingjie Feng
Keywords: Riparian zone biological bait sources flood process amount transported into the river biological buffer zone
Abstract: Rich plant, invertebrate, and microbial communities in riparian zones form a multi-layered food web, providing diverse nutritional sources for aquatic organisms. A 14 km-long river segment in the downstream Jinsha River was selected for study, focusing on an elevation range of 20 meters (2 meters below to 18 meters above the water level during the dry season). Field surveys analyzed the variation in soil moisture, pH, total carbon (TC), herbaceous plants, invertebrates, bacteria, and fungi during dry, normal, and flood periods across different elevations. Results showed that pH and TC were negatively correlated with soil moisture, while invertebrates, bacteria, fungi, and herbaceous plants were positively correlated, indicating that nutrient and TC accumulation supported biological productivity and ecosystem diversity. Based on these patterns, the study recommends maintaining the area within 4 meters above the water level during all hydrological periods as a key zone for food web effects. A model of bait input into the river indicated that during the 2024 flood, herbaceous plants and invertebrates entered the river at rates of 479.0 kg/km and 4.0 kg/km, respectively. This research provides key insights for maintaining food web functions in riparian zones.
Year: 2025