The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River

Against the backdrop of hydropower development in the upper Yellow River, comprehending the spatiotemporal variation and ecological evaluation of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) is paramount for the conservation and restoration of aquatic biological resources in watersheds. Detail...

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Main Authors: Peilun Li, Shuhan Xiong, Jiacheng Liu, Tai Wang, Yanbin Liu, Kai Liu, Yongjie Wang, Jilong Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/10/791
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author Peilun Li
Shuhan Xiong
Jiacheng Liu
Tai Wang
Yanbin Liu
Kai Liu
Yongjie Wang
Jilong Wang
author_facet Peilun Li
Shuhan Xiong
Jiacheng Liu
Tai Wang
Yanbin Liu
Kai Liu
Yongjie Wang
Jilong Wang
author_sort Peilun Li
collection DOAJ
description Against the backdrop of hydropower development in the upper Yellow River, comprehending the spatiotemporal variation and ecological evaluation of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) is paramount for the conservation and restoration of aquatic biological resources in watersheds. Detailed surveys of macroinvertebrates were conducted in the gorge and plain areas of the upper Yellow River in July 2022 and March, May, and October 2023, culminating in the identification of 65 taxonomic units (genus or species) spanning 4 phyla, 14 orders, and 35 families. Of these, 41 taxonomic units were discovered in the gorge areas and 57 in the plain areas. Among the FFGs of macroinvertebrates in the upper Yellow River, collector-gatherers were overwhelmingly dominant, followed by scrapers, collector-filterers, predators, and shredders. Concerning river section types, dominant species in the gorge areas included <i>Gammarus</i> sp., <i>Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri</i>, and <i>Polypedilum</i> sp. among collector-gatherers, while in the plain areas, dominant species included <i>Ecdyonurus</i> sp. among scrapers, <i>Hydropsyche</i> sp. among collector-filterers, and <i>Gammarus</i> sp., <i>Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri</i>, and <i>Chironomus</i> sp. among collector-gatherers. A Mantel test revealed that dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and orthophosphate were the primary environmental factors affecting the FFGs of macroinvertebrates in the upper Yellow River, with variations observed in their effects across different months. The evaluation results of the Hilsenhoff Biological Index and Shannon–Wiener Index indicate that the water quality of the upper Yellow River is at a moderate level. An assessment of the upper Yellow River ecosystem using FFG parameters demonstrated that macroinvertebrate biomass progressively increased from upstream (gorge areas) to downstream (plain areas) spatially, accompanied by increasing habitat stability, with cascade hydropower development identified as a key factor impacting habitat stability. These findings provide pertinent data and a theoretical foundation for the protection of aquatic biological resources and watershed management in the upper Yellow River.
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spelling doaj-art-3cd26c1b00194058b463a69cb90f1fbe2025-08-20T02:11:12ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372024-10-01131079110.3390/biology13100791The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow RiverPeilun Li0Shuhan Xiong1Jiacheng Liu2Tai Wang3Yanbin Liu4Kai Liu5Yongjie Wang6Jilong Wang7Heilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin 150070, ChinaHeilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin 150070, ChinaHeilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin 150070, ChinaGansu Fisheries Research Institute, Lanzhou 730030, ChinaNingxia Fisheries Research Institute, Yinchuan 750001, ChinaNingxia Fisheries Research Institute, Yinchuan 750001, ChinaNingxia Fisheries Research Institute, Yinchuan 750001, ChinaHeilongjiang River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Harbin 150070, ChinaAgainst the backdrop of hydropower development in the upper Yellow River, comprehending the spatiotemporal variation and ecological evaluation of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups (FFGs) is paramount for the conservation and restoration of aquatic biological resources in watersheds. Detailed surveys of macroinvertebrates were conducted in the gorge and plain areas of the upper Yellow River in July 2022 and March, May, and October 2023, culminating in the identification of 65 taxonomic units (genus or species) spanning 4 phyla, 14 orders, and 35 families. Of these, 41 taxonomic units were discovered in the gorge areas and 57 in the plain areas. Among the FFGs of macroinvertebrates in the upper Yellow River, collector-gatherers were overwhelmingly dominant, followed by scrapers, collector-filterers, predators, and shredders. Concerning river section types, dominant species in the gorge areas included <i>Gammarus</i> sp., <i>Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri</i>, and <i>Polypedilum</i> sp. among collector-gatherers, while in the plain areas, dominant species included <i>Ecdyonurus</i> sp. among scrapers, <i>Hydropsyche</i> sp. among collector-filterers, and <i>Gammarus</i> sp., <i>Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri</i>, and <i>Chironomus</i> sp. among collector-gatherers. A Mantel test revealed that dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and orthophosphate were the primary environmental factors affecting the FFGs of macroinvertebrates in the upper Yellow River, with variations observed in their effects across different months. The evaluation results of the Hilsenhoff Biological Index and Shannon–Wiener Index indicate that the water quality of the upper Yellow River is at a moderate level. An assessment of the upper Yellow River ecosystem using FFG parameters demonstrated that macroinvertebrate biomass progressively increased from upstream (gorge areas) to downstream (plain areas) spatially, accompanied by increasing habitat stability, with cascade hydropower development identified as a key factor impacting habitat stability. These findings provide pertinent data and a theoretical foundation for the protection of aquatic biological resources and watershed management in the upper Yellow River.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/10/791Yellow Rivermacroinvertebratefunctional feeding groupsenvironmental factors
spellingShingle Peilun Li
Shuhan Xiong
Jiacheng Liu
Tai Wang
Yanbin Liu
Kai Liu
Yongjie Wang
Jilong Wang
The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River
Biology
Yellow River
macroinvertebrate
functional feeding groups
environmental factors
title The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River
title_full The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River
title_fullStr The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River
title_full_unstemmed The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River
title_short The Spatiotemporal Variation and Ecological Evaluation of Macroinvertebrate Functional Feeding Groups in the Upper Yellow River
title_sort spatiotemporal variation and ecological evaluation of macroinvertebrate functional feeding groups in the upper yellow river
topic Yellow River
macroinvertebrate
functional feeding groups
environmental factors
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/10/791
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