A Habitat Model for Assessing the Impact of the Three Gorges Project on Phytophilic Spawners.

ABSTRACT: Riverine ecosystems provide essential functional habitats for fish reproduction through dynamic hydrological regimes. However, reservoir operations fundamentally alter these natural hydrologic rhythms, creating novel selective pressures on aquatic organisms. This study investigates how dam-induced hydrological changes affect phytophilic spawners (Cyprinus carpio and Carassius auratus) in the Three Gorges Reservoir-a group that has come to dominate the fish assemblage due to the shift from lotic to lentic conditions following impoundment. We developed a process-based habitat model that integrates hydraulic parameters with an innovative water level fluctuation suitability index to quantify functional habitat loss. Our results demonstrate that reservoir drawdown regimes reduce h

SUBMITTER: Xiang C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12443497 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature