Environmental DNA Reveals the Fish Community Structure Exhibited Instability and Trend of Miniaturization in the Xijiang River Basin of the Guizhou.

ABSTRACT: The seasonal monitoring of fish communities was conducted in the Xijiang River Basin of Guizhou Province using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding technology. A total of 97 fish species were identified during the 2023 survey, representing a detection rate of 61.94% compared to historical records. The findings demonstrated the following: (1) Fish communities exhibited significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity, with species diversity and composition varying seasonally and spatially; (2) human activities, such as reservoir construction, have led to the potential trend toward miniaturization of fish populations and pose a severe threat to the survival of indigenous species; (3) water NH ₃ -N, altitude, and pH emerged as the key environmental fact

SUBMITTER: Ma X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12449034 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature