An innovative restoration mode “macrophytes–fishes–benthons–birds”implemented in aesthetic plateau wetlands

Subjects: Statistics >> Social Statistics submitted time 2024-03-27 Cooperative journals: 《中国科学院院刊》

YANG Junxing WANG Xiaoai PAN Xiaofu ZHANG Yuanwei WU Heqi WU Anli

Abstract： Affected by both increasing human activities and climate change, Yunnan Plateau lakes were faced with threats such as water level decreasing, water-body reducing, and severe pollution. Many indigenous species were endangered or even disappeared. The ecological restorations implemented since 1980s almost all used alien species. As an inevitable result, severe negative impacts from alien species were observed on the Plateau wetland ecosystem and indigenous species. To solve these problems, with the support of relevant projects, an innovative restoration mode mainly with indigenous flag-species “macrophytes – fishes – benthons – birds” was proposed. This innovative mode was implemented respectively in Dianchi and Erhai, and has successfully restored the lost species along the food-chains of energy flowing as well as the integrative functions of aquatic ecosystem. Following the two routines of “algae –fishes–birds (or human)” and “macrophytes–fishes–birds (or human)”, the eutrophicate elements Nitrogen and Phosphorus have left the lakes and wetlands. The experiments have achieved additional results. For example, traditional expensive food ingredients are discovered such as flowers of macrophytes Ottelia and the indigenous fishes. Those white petals and yellow stamens of Ottelia floating on water surface have also formed a unique aesthetic landscape in Yunnan Plateau lakes and wetlands. Based on the successful experiments in Dianchi and Erhai wetlands, combined with the characteristics and status of wetland biodiversity, this study proposes innovative restoration modes to be implemented in Yunnan Plateau lakes and wetlands.

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