A method for microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation of the recovery of an oriental catfish population
By constructing a shelter and feeding microhabitat for the Oriental Plateau Loach in rivers in arid areas and implementing targeted trophic cascade regulation, the problem of low population density of the Oriental Plateau Loach was solved, the predation success rate of the Black Stork was improved, the self-sustaining and reproduction of the Oriental Plateau Loach population was achieved, and a stable food source was provided for the Black Stork.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NORTHEAST NORMAL UNIVERSITY
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-05
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-04
AI Technical Summary
The low population density of Oriental Plateau Loach in arid rivers makes it difficult to meet the predation needs of waterbirds such as Black Stork. This is mainly due to large habitat fluctuations, reduced suitable habitat space, and insufficient amphipod biomass, resulting in insufficient energy supply, which affects population recovery and food chain security.
By delineating core restoration zones in rivers in arid regions, laying erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units, constructing microhabitats for the shelter and feeding of the Oriental Plateau Loach, and conducting artificial propagation of amphipods in a simulated natural environment, combined with targeted trophic cascade regulation of the Oriental Plateau Loach's life cycle, food sources are provided in stages and at different ages.
It improved the population density and health of the Oriental Plateau Loach, enhanced the predation success rate of the Black Stork, solved the problem of food chain supply gaps, enabled the Oriental Plateau Loach population to maintain itself and expand, and provided a stable food source for the Black Stork.
Smart Images
Figure CN121694259B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of ecological restoration technology, and more specifically, to an ecological propagation method for the Oriental Plateau Loach in rivers in arid regions, which can provide an important food base for waterbirds such as the Black Stork. Background Technology
[0002] Black stork ( Ciconia nigra The black stork, belonging to the order Ciconiiformes, family Ciconidae, and genus Ciconii, is a Class I protected animal in my country and a flagship species of the Heihe River basin in Zhangye, Gansu Province. Due to its beak morphology and predation strategy, the black stork primarily preys on small, slow-moving fish in shallow wetlands. (Oriental Plateau Loach...) T. orientalis The Oriental Plateau Loach (Siniperca esculenta) is a unique plateau fish species distributed in the Heihe River Basin and other northwestern plateau regions, and is also one of the important food sources for black storks in this area. Based on survey data and environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring results, the population density of the Oriental Plateau Loach in some sections of the Heihe River Basin is currently at a low level, making it difficult to fully meet the predation needs of wading birds such as black storks. The main reasons for this are the large natural fluctuations in river habitats in arid areas, coupled with reduced heterogeneity of local aquatic habitats, leading to a decrease in suitable hiding spaces for the Oriental Plateau Loach. More importantly, there is insufficient biomass and uneven spatial distribution of high-protein benthic animals (such as amphipods), which are the main energy source for the Oriental Plateau Loach.
[0003] The dual limitations of habitat and food have led to severe survival pressure on the Oriental Plateau Loach population, especially during the peak feeding season of the Black Stork, when a "food supply gap" is very likely to occur. This not only affects the recovery of the Oriental Plateau Loach population, but also poses a potential threat to the food security of flagship species such as the Black Stork.
[0004] Existing breeding and release techniques for the Oriental Plateau loach mostly focus on releasing fish fry, often neglecting to build a suitable energy supply system in advance. This results in low survival rates of the released fish fry in natural water bodies due to insufficient energy intake, making it impossible to form a stable population replenishment mechanism. Summary of the Invention
[0005] This invention aims to address the severe energy deficit and hindered population recovery faced by the Oriental Plateau Loach in arid river regions. To this end, this invention proposes a microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation method for Oriental Plateau Loach population recovery. The key to this method is the reconstruction of the "shelter-feeding" complex microhabitat of the Oriental Plateau Loach. This involves artificially selecting wild amphipods as bait in a simulated natural environment and implementing targeted trophic cascade regulation throughout the Oriental Plateau Loach's life cycle to accurately match its energy needs at different stages. This fundamentally removes the limitations on its survival, enabling the Oriental Plateau Loach population to self-sustain and proliferate, and ultimately providing a stable food source for black storks.
[0006] Firstly, a method for microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation for the population recovery of the Oriental Plateau loach is provided, characterized by the following steps: S1, Area Delineation In the target river, sites were selected based on the ecological niche requirements of the Oriental Plateau Loach, and core restoration areas suitable for the Oriental Plateau Loach habitat were delineated. S2, Constructing a microhabitat Erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units were laid on the riverbed in the core restoration area to create a dual-effect micro-habitat for the Oriental Plateau loach to shelter and feed. S3, Artificial Propagation of Feed Establish a breeding pond with a water circulation system to artificially breed local wild amphipods in a simulated natural manner, serving as a specific food source for the Oriental Plateau loach; S4, Targeted Nutritional Cascade Regulation Based on the energy requirements of the three key life stages of the Oriental Plateau Loach—post-winter recovery, gonadal development, and juvenile feeding—food sources were strategically released into the core restoration area and its surrounding waters in batches, by age, and by region to implement targeted trophic cascade regulation of the Oriental Plateau Loach.
[0007] Preferably, in step S1, the water depth in the core restoration area is 10cm~40cm, the flow velocity is 0.4m / s~0.6m / s, the riverbed substrate is composed of natural gravel or pebbles with a particle size of 3cm~15cm, and it is a barren area without large vascular plants.
[0008] Preferably, in step S2, the specific structure of the anti-erosion benthic organism propagation unit is as follows: an ecological gabion mat made of PVC-coated hexagonal metal mesh, with a length of 65-75cm, a width of 45-55cm, a height of 20-30cm, and a mesh size of 70-90×50-70mm. This mesh size is slightly larger than the maximum body height of adult Oriental Plateau loach, ensuring that Oriental Plateau loach can freely move in and out of the mat to forage and hide. At the same time, this size can effectively block the invasion of the main natural enemies of Oriental Plateau loach (such as large carnivorous fish or wading birds). The internal filling material consists of an outer layer of pebbles and an inner layer of dead branches, using the gaps between the pebbles and the gaps between the dead branches to construct a three-dimensional spatial structure.
[0009] Preferably, the erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units are laid in patches with a stocking density of 2-4 units / m². 2 The erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation unit, embedded with native plant dead branches, provides a physical shelter for the Oriental Plateau Loach to avoid predators and strong water currents, while also serving as a propagation substrate for wild amphioxus, forming a micro-habitat of "Plateau Loach-Amphioxus Symbiosis".
[0010] Preferably, the dead branches are selected from native woody plants that are resistant to water immersion, including tamarisk, multi-branched tamarisk, or basket willow.
[0011] Preferably, the dead branches are naturally air-dried before filling, and the filling volume ratio in the erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation unit is 30%~40%, so as to simulate the natural fallen tree habitat preferred by the Oriental Plateau Loach.
[0012] Preferably, in step S3, the method for the simulated natural artificial propagation of amphipods is as follows: the basic flow velocity in the propagation pond is set to 0.4~0.6 m / s, and every 2~4 hours the flow velocity is increased to 0.8 m / s and maintained for 1~2 hours to train wild amphipods to withstand flow velocity stress. The flow velocity of 0.8 m / s is slightly higher than the average maximum flow velocity during the normal water period in the core restoration area, aiming to select and retain high-quality amphipod individuals with strong attachment ability and resistance to water flow erosion as a food source for the Oriental plateau loach.
[0013] Preferably, in step S4, the targeted nutrient cascade regulation method includes the following three stages: Phase 1: From late March to late April, in response to the physical deficiency of the Oriental Plateau Loach after overwintering, sub-adult and juvenile amphioxus were released. After the release, the amphioxus stock in the core restoration area reached 2 to 3 times the natural average biomass, so as to provide high-protein food that is easy for the Oriental Plateau Loach to prey on. Phase Two: From late April to late May, in response to the gonadal development needs of the Oriental Plateau Loach before reproduction, sexually mature adult amphipods are released at a density 2 to 3 times the natural baseline density. The high fat content of the adult amphipods promotes the gonadal maturation of the Oriental Plateau Loach parent fish. Phase 3: From late May to late July, release juvenile amphioxus into extremely shallow water areas with a depth of less than 15 cm in the core restoration area, which is the concentrated activity area of the juvenile loach from the Eastern Plateau. The release density is 4 to 5 times the natural baseline density.
[0014] Preferably, the release time for Phase Three is from 5:00 to 6:00 AM daily. This release time aims to utilize the brief adaptation window of the amphipods during their initial entry into the water to improve the predation efficiency of the juvenile loach from the Eastern Plateau. Furthermore, this time period, preceding the peak morning predation time for black storks, provides potential food sources for them through the food chain effect.
[0015] Secondly, this paper presents a method for microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation for the restoration of the Oriental Plateau Loach population, which is applied to the food supply of the Black Stork.
[0016] Beneficial effects (1) The present invention adopts a “habitat-food” synergistic restoration strategy to solve the problem of food chain supply gap caused by the limited carrying capacity of river habitats in arid areas and the uneven seasonal food supply; (2) By embedding native plant dead branches into the anti-erosion benthic organism propagation unit, a physical shelter space for the Oriental Plateau Loach to avoid natural enemies and strong water flow was constructed, thereby increasing the population density of the Oriental Plateau Loach. (3) Targeted nutrient cascade regulation based on the life history of Oriental Plateau Loach and precise energy supplementation in stages improved the gonadal maturity index (GSI) and survival rate of Oriental Plateau Loach parent fish. (4) By reconstructing microhabitats, we can obtain high-density and healthy Oriental Plateau loach, improve the capture success rate of black storks, effectively alleviate the food stress of black storks during the breeding period, and improve the efficiency of the food chain.
[0017] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation unit structure in an embodiment. Figure 2 This is a comparison chart of microhabitat indicators for the example, comparative example, and control group. Detailed Implementation
[0019] This invention provides a technical solution aimed at improving the structure of river benthic animals, with a particular focus on the propagation of plateau-endemic fish populations. Those skilled in the art can refer to the content of this document and appropriately modify the process parameters to achieve the desired result. It should be particularly noted that all similar substitutions and modifications are considered to be included in this invention. The methods and applications of this invention have been described through preferred embodiments; those skilled in the art can clearly modify or appropriately change and combine the methods and applications described herein without departing from the content, spirit, and scope of this invention to realize and apply the technology of this invention.
[0020] In this invention, the terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are used interchangeably to indicate the inclusiveness of a solution, meaning that the solution may contain elements other than those listed. It should also be understood that the use of "comprising," "including," and "having" herein also provides for solutions "consisting of...". In this invention, "and / or," as used herein, includes the meaning of "and," "or," and "all or any other combination of elements linked by the associated term."
[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the applicant will further describe the present invention in detail below with reference to embodiments.
[0022] The following examples were conducted in the Heihe Zhengyi Gorge Basin of Zhangye City, Gansu Province. Based on environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring results and benthic organism surveys, three river sections (sections A, B, and C) with basically consistent habitat conditions (flow velocity, substrate, and water depth) were selected from the potential distribution area of the Oriental Plateau Loach. Each river section was 1000 meters long, and the distance between the river sections was more than 2000 meters to avoid mutual interference.
[0023] Habitat baseline conditions: average water depth of 10-40cm during the dry season, bottom substrate of natural gravel / pebbles, average flow velocity of 0.2-0.6m / s during the dry season, and water quality meeting or exceeding Class III of the "Surface Water Environmental Quality Standard".
[0024] The implementation period is from March 2024 to September 2025.
[0025] Example This embodiment provides a method for microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation for the population recovery of the Oriental Plateau loach, including the following steps: S1. Section A of the Heihe Zhengyi Gorge Basin in Zhangye City, Gansu Province, was selected as the core restoration area for the habitat of the Oriental Plateau loach. The flow velocity at the edge of the river in this section is 0.2~0.4m / s, the water depth is 25cm, the bottom material is natural gravel with a particle size of 3cm~15cm, and there is no large vascular plants covering it. S2. Lay erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units on the riverbed in the core restoration area, with a stocking density of 3 units / m². 2 This creates a dual-effect micro-habitat for the Oriental Plateau loach to shelter and feed; the specific structure of the erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation unit is as follows: an ecological gabion mat made of PVC-coated hexagonal metal mesh, with dimensions of 70×50×28cm (length×width×height), mesh openings of 80×60mm, pebbles with a particle size of 7~10cm, and bundles of dead tamarisk branches accounting for 35% of the volume; S3. Establish a breeding pond with a water circulation system. Set the basic flow velocity of the breeding pond to 0.4~0.6m / s. Increase the flow velocity to 0.8m / s every 3 hours and maintain it for 1 hour to train wild amphioxus to withstand the flow velocity stress. Select and retain high-quality amphioxus individuals with strong attachment ability and resistance to water flow erosion as food sources for Oriental Plateau Loach. S4. Following the life history of the Oriental Plateau loach, targeted trophic cascade regulation was implemented. Wild shrimp were released every three days from mid-to-late March, late April to early May, and late May to mid-July. The specific release amounts were: Mid-to-late March: Release sub-adult amphipods that have been acclimatized to the current, at a density of 150-200 individuals / m². 2 ; Late April to early May: Release sexually mature adult amphipods at a female-to-male ratio of 1:1, with a stocking density of 200-300 shrimp / m². 2 ; Late May to mid-July: Shallow, slow-flowing areas with a depth of less than 15cm serve as sanctuaries for juvenile Oriental plateau loach. In these areas, release juvenile amphipods at a density of 200-300 per m². 2 The release time is from 5:00 to 6:00 every morning.
[0026] From late May to mid-July, the period from 5:00 to 6:00 AM each day, before the black stork's peak morning feeding time, provides potential food sources for the black stork through the food chain effect.
[0027] Comparative Example This comparative example provides a microhabitat reconstruction method for the population restoration of the Oriental Plateau loach, which adopts the traditional method of "aquatic plant replanting + single release of hooked shrimp", including the following steps: S1. Section B of the Heihe Zhengyi Gorge Basin in Zhangye City, Gansu Province, was selected as the core restoration area for microhabitat. The baseline conditions of the river habitat in this section are the same as those in Example 1. S2. Replant submerged plant *Ceratophyllum demersum* and emergent plant *Reed* in the riverbed; S3. In early May, release untamed, commercially available hook shrimp in a single batch at a density of 300-400 shrimp / m². 2 No further updates.
[0028] Results Analysis Section C of the Heihe River at Zhengyi Gorge in Zhangye City, Gansu Province, was used as a control group and as the natural background data collection point. Data monitoring for the examples and comparative cases ended in September 2025.
[0029] The population density, survival rate, gonadal maturity coefficient of parent fish, and predation success rate of black storks were monitored in the experimental river sections of the implementation examples, comparative examples, and control groups. Population density was quantitatively analyzed using quadrat surveys, and survival rate was continuously tracked using a mark-recapture method. Simultaneously, the gonadal maturity coefficient of parent fish was determined through biological dissection. For the predation success rate of black storks, focal animal behavior observation was used to record data in the corresponding areas. The results are shown in Table 1 and... Figure 2 As shown.
[0030] Table 1. Habitat indicators for the examples, comparative examples, and control group.
[0031] (1) Population index results As shown in Table 1, the natural population density of *Lycodon orientalis* in the control group, which did not undergo substrate modification, vegetation restoration, or artificial feeding, was 17.6 individuals / 100m². 2 .
[0032] The embodiment utilizes erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units embedded with native plant dead branches, creating a physical shelter for the Oriental Plateau Loach to escape predators and strong water currents. This results in an extremely high settlement rate for the Oriental Plateau Loach, with a population density reaching 25.5 individuals / 100m². 2 Compared with the control group, the population density of Oriental Plateau loach increased by 44.9%, a significant improvement.
[0033] In contrast, approximately 70% of the replanted submerged plant *Ceratophyllum demersum* and emergent plant *Reed* were washed away or died due to water flow. Plant decay led to a decrease in dissolved oxygen in some areas, failing to create an effective sanctuary for the Oriental Plateau loach. Furthermore, conventionally farmed gillnets, when introduced into open, flowing water, were unable to adapt to the shear forces of the current and drifted away, preventing the establishment of food biomass in the core restoration area. The introduced Oriental Plateau loach fry faced a severe energy deficit due to a lack of suitable food and hiding places. Therefore, the population density of the Oriental Plateau loach was only 19.3 individuals / 100m². 2 Moreover, the individuals were small in size. Compared to the control group, the population density increased by only 9.7%.
[0034] (2) Physiological indicators Due to the uneven spatial and temporal distribution of amphioxus resources in the natural habitat, the fish in the control group generally suffered from malnutrition. The survival rate of Oriental Plateau Loach was 23.4%, and the gonadal maturity coefficient (GSI) of Oriental Plateau Loach parent fish was only 11.2%.
[0035] Thanks to targeted nutrient cascade regulation based on the life history of the Oriental Plateau Loach and precise energy supplementation in stages, the average survival rate of the Oriental Plateau Loach in this water area reached 31.1%, and the gonadal maturity index (GSI) of the parent fish reached 16.7%, which were 32.9% and 49.1% higher than the control group, respectively, and significantly higher than the natural level of the control group.
[0036] The comparative example used a single-use baiting method, without considering the differences in feeding among fish of different ages. The bait was commercially available amphipods that had not been screened for flow stress training, and its protein content was far lower than that of the wild amphipods that had been artificially propagated in the example. The survival rate of the Oriental Plateau Loach was 26.7%, and the gonadal maturity index (GSI) of the parent fish was 12.8%, which was only 14.1% and 14.3% higher than the control group, respectively.
[0037] (3) Food chain benefits The control group of black storks had a low natural hunting success rate of approximately 21.7%. The comparative group had a hunting success rate of approximately 23.2%, an increase of 6.9% compared to the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. In the example given, due to the high density and healthy condition of the loach population on the Eastern Plateau, the black storks' hunting success rate in this area increased to 29.2%, an increase of 34.3% compared to the control group, effectively alleviating food stress for the black storks during the brooding period.
[0038] In summary, this invention employs a habitat-food synergistic restoration strategy. By embedding erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units with native plant dead branches, it constructs a physical shelter space for the Oriental Plateau Loach to avoid predators and strong water currents, thereby increasing the population density of the Oriental Plateau Loach. Targeted trophic cascade regulation based on the life history of the Oriental Plateau Loach, with precise energy supplementation in stages, improves the gonadal maturity index (GSI) and survival rate of the parent fish. Simultaneously, by reconstructing a microhabitat, it obtains a high density and healthy population of Oriental Plateau Loach, increasing the success rate of black stork capture, effectively alleviating food stress for black storks during the brooding period, and improving food chain efficiency.
[0039] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.
Claims
1. A method for microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation for the recovery of the population of Botia superciliaris, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Area Delineation: In rivers in arid regions, sites were selected based on the ecological niche requirements of the Oriental Plateau Loach, and core restoration areas suitable for the Oriental Plateau Loach's habitat were delineated. S2. Constructing microhabitats: Erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation units were laid on the riverbed in the core restoration area to create a dual-effect micro-habitat for the Oriental Plateau loach to shelter and feed. S3, Artificial Propagation of Feed: Establish a breeding pond with a water circulation system to artificially breed local wild amphipods in a simulated natural manner, serving as a specific food source for the Oriental Plateau loach; S4, Targeted Nutritional Cascade Regulation: Based on the energy requirements of the three key life stages of the Oriental Plateau loach—post-winter recovery, gonad development, and juvenile feeding—food sources were precisely released in batches, by age, and by region into the core restoration area and its surrounding waters to carry out targeted trophic cascade regulation of the Oriental Plateau loach. In step S2, the anti-erosion benthic organism propagation unit is an ecological gabion mat made of PVC-coated hexagonal metal mesh, with a length of 65-75cm, a width of 45-55cm, a height of 20-30cm, and a mesh size of 70-90cm×50-70mm. The internal filling material consists of an outer layer of pebbles and an inner layer of dead branches. In step S3, the method for artificially propagating amphioxus in a simulated natural environment is as follows: the basic flow velocity in the propagation pond is set to 0.4~0.6 m / s, and the flow velocity is increased to 0.8 m / s every 2~4 hours and maintained for 1~2 hours to train wild amphioxus to withstand flow velocity stress, thus retaining amphioxus with strong erosion resistance as a food source for the Oriental Plateau loach.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein, In step S1, the water depth in the core restoration area is 10-40 cm, the flow velocity is 0.4-0.6 m / s, the riverbed substrate is composed of natural gravel or pebbles with a particle size of 3-15 cm, and it is a barren area without large vascular plants.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein, In step S2, the anti-scour benthic organism proliferation unit is patchily laid with a release density of 2-4 / m 2 .
4. The method of claim 1, wherein, The dead branches are selected from native woody plants that are resistant to water immersion, including tamarisk, multi-branched tamarisk, or basket willow.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The dead branches are air-dried naturally before filling, and their filling volume accounts for 30% to 40% of the erosion-resistant benthic organism propagation unit.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein, In step S4, the targeted nutrient cascade regulation method includes the following three stages: Phase 1: From late March to late April, in response to the physical depletion of the Oriental Plateau Loach after overwintering, sub-adult and juvenile amphioxus were released. After the release, the amphioxus population in the core restoration area reached 2 to 3 times the natural average biomass. Phase Two: From late April to late May, in response to the gonadal development needs of the Oriental Plateau Loach before reproduction, sexually mature adult amphipods will be released at a density 2 to 3 times the natural baseline density. Phase 3: From late May to late July, release juvenile amphioxus into extremely shallow water areas with a depth of less than 15 cm in the core restoration area, which is the concentrated activity area of the juvenile loach from the Eastern Plateau. The release density is 4 to 5 times the natural baseline density.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The deployment time for Phase 3 is from 5:00 to 6:00 every morning.
8. The application of the microhabitat reconstruction and energy flow regulation method for the population restoration of Oriental Plateau Loach as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 in the food supply of Black Stork.