Yangtze River Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve Sees Thriving Biodiversity and Pristine Waters in Latest Survey Results
Yangtze River Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve Sees Increase in Biodiversity and Finless Porpoise Population
2024/09/09 10:16 Nanjing Daily
The latest dynamic survey results of the Yangtze River Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve reveal a significant increase in biodiversity and the finless porpoise population. The survey, conducted from 2023 to 2024, found that the number of finless porpoises in the reserve has increased from 62 to 65, a 4.84% rise from the 2022 baseline resource survey.
The Yangtze finless porpoise is a national first-class protected wild animal and an important indicator species for testing the health of the Yangtze River ecosystem. Nanjing is the only major city in the Yangtze River Basin where wild finless porpoises can be seen up close in the central section of the river.
The reserve, established in 2014, covers an area of 80.38 square kilometers, including 51.52 square kilometers in the core area and 28.86 square kilometers in the experimental area. The survey found that the number of finless porpoises in the reserve is on the rise, with mother and calf dolphins observed nine times during the survey period.
Rich Biological Resources and Rare Species
The survey also found that the reserve is rich in aquatic biological resources, with many precious endangered species. A total of 105 species of phytoplankton, 59 species of zooplankton, 56 species of benthic animals, and 47 species of fish were collected and identified. In addition to the Yangtze River porpoise, the survey found the Chinese red-bodied mandarin fish, a national second-class key protected aquatic wild animal, and the long-snout catfish, eel, bream, and copper fish, which are key protected aquatic wild animals in Jiangsu Province.
The survey recorded 123 bird species in and around the reserve, including four first-class national key protected wild animals: the yellow-breasted bunting, the oriental white stork, the black-faced spoonbill, and the black stork, which appeared in the reserve for the first time. There are also 20 second-class national key protected wild animals, including the Jacana, white-breasted kingfisher, Chinese hwamei, skylark, black kite, peregrine falcon, red-footed falcon, common falcon, red-bellied hawk, white-tailed harrier, sparrowhawk, swan goose, little swan, lesser white-fronted goose, mandarin duck, white-fronted goose, painted duck, lesser cuckoo, and white spoonbill.
Improving Ecological Environment Quality
The survey found that the water environment quality in the reserve is good, with the five main physical and chemical indicators of the water body, such as pH value, dissolved oxygen, and total phosphorus, reaching the fishery water quality standard and the Class II value of the surface water environment quality standard. The average comprehensive nutrient status index of the sampled water body is 47.03, of which 63% of the water samples have a comprehensive nutrient status index within the range of 30-50.
The survey also found that there are relatively rich wetland plants in and around the reserve, with a total of 367 species of wetland plants collected and identified. Two national first-level key protected wild plants, Metasequoia and Ginkgo, and two national second-level key protected wild plants, Lotus and Camphor, were also found.
The dynamic survey was organized and implemented by the Nanjing Yangtze River Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve Management Station, and was jointly undertaken by the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and Nanjing Normal University.
Liu Kai, a researcher at the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, believes that the ecological environment quality of the reserve is steadily improving, the number of Yangtze finless porpoises is on the rise, and biodiversity remains stable overall.