Taxonomic Diversity of Fish Species in the Lower Reaches of the Yellow River

Abstract

In order to study the community of fishery resources, five sampling sections were set up in the lower Yellow River from 2019 to 2022 to investigate the diversity of fishery resources. A total of 54 fish species were identified in the survey, belonging to 9 orders, 19 families, and 48 genera. The number of species reached its highest level since the Integrated Water Regulation of the Lower Yellow River in 1999. The original rare and endangered fish species in the lower reaches of the Yellow River, such as Coilia nasus, Rhinogobio nasutus, and Pseudobagrus ussuriensis, have reappeared in the lower reaches. The population and abundance of main economic fish and common small-sized fish in the lower reaches of the Yellow River have increased. These signs all indicate that, and the fishery resources are recovering slowly in the lower Yellow River. By comparing the fish resources of various investigation sections, it was found that there are differences in fish diversity: the closer to the estuarine waters, the higher the variety of fish in the Yellow River at the upper level of the taxonomic category. However, that section of the lower Yellow River where species evenness, species diversity, and community structure of fishery resources were most stable was the confluence of Dongping Lake into the Yellow River, which has the most significant number of fish species, the smallest Λ+ value, and the most extensive G-F index. The above results indicate that Dongping Lake, as the only lake connected to the lower reaches of the Yellow River, plays an essential role in replenishing fish resources in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.