Plant Diversity ›› 2007, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (06): 701-707.

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Analysis on the Impact of Cascading Hydropower Development on Biodiversity in Mengnai River Watershed

LI Cheng-Chun1 , 2 , HU Hua-Bin1   

  1. 1 Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223 , China;
    2 Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 , China
  • Received:2007-04-06 Online:2007-12-25 Published:2007-12-25
  • Contact: HU Hua-Bin

Abstract: Disturbance from human-kind has been one of the major causes to the loss of biodiversity . In the watershed of Mengnai River within the Tongbiguan Nature Reserve of Yunnan Province , we applied Geographic Information System and
Remote Sensing techniques to analyze the impact of cascading hydropower development on landscape diversity , and impact on major protected objects including Dipterocarp forest , rare and endangered plants and animals existing in the nature reserve. Results showed that the development of cascading hydropower stations would slightly increase the fragmentation of the whole landscape in the watershed of Mengnai River , alter the landscape diversity to some extent . However , the impact of cascading hydropower development on the Dipterocarp forest and the rare and endangered plants and animals should not be neglected . Especially, road construction in the area would bring a more significant effect upon forest . Forest cover would decrease by 5. 83% with a potential loss of 1 472 .09 hm2 , 69 . 1 hm2 of Dipterocarp forest would be affected to some extent . In order to mitigate the impact of the hydropower development project on biodiversity , proper measures on 5 aspects were
recommended based on this study .

Key words: Tongbiguan Nature Reserve

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