Post on 22-Feb-2016
description
By: Bianca Sander
www.aquaticcommunity.com
Lasagongma Spring near Mt. Guozongmucha, Tibetan Plateau
Yunnan Province
Myanmar/Laos border
Laos
Thailand/Laos border
Cambodia Vietnam
South China Sea
Economic ValueCommercially worth
$2billion
80% of the animal protein for the 60 million people living in the basin (World Wildlife Foundation 2011).
The Mekong River is capable of producing 2,500,000 million tons of fish a year (Hogan 2011).
Floating fish farm on the Mekong River, Vietnam
People living in the floating villages on the Mekong River rely on the fish supply for survival
Biodiversity of the Mekong River Watershed
•Vegetation•Land Animals•Aquatic Animals
Lotus Field, Cambodia
Carnivorous Pitcher Plant(www.wwf.panda.org)
Coconuts, Vietnam
Rambutan rambutan.com
Jack Fruit rarefruit.org
Globalopportunity.seMangostan, Thailand
Boat full of pineapple, Thailand
Young Elephant, Thailand
Elephant Reserve, Thailand
Rhesus Macaque,Cambodia
Monitor lizard,Thailand
Water fowl,Vietnam
Stork Gardens,Vietnam
At least 1,300 species of freshwater fish (World Wildlife Foundation 2011)
The 'sucker' fish (Oreoglanis)(www.wwf.panda.org)
Mekong river of Thailand by British fisherman Ian Welch. Its massive body was 7ft long and 7ft wide, with a tail measuring 10ft. After DNA was taken for testing this pregnant female was released back into the wild.
Mekong Giant Catfish Pangasianodon gigas/paucidens
World’s largest scale-less freshwater fish
95% population drop over the last century (National Geographic, 2011)
Endemic from the delta all the way to the Yunnan Province.Are now reported only in the main
Mekong, no longer found in smaller tributaries or Tonle Sap
National Geographic 2011
Extremely overfished and are now “protected” by legislation in the Golden Triangle region.
Irrawaddy dolphinOrcaella brevirostris
Critically vulnerable Lives in brackish coastal watersMekong freshwater sub-population
estimated at 127 individuals in 2005; may now be as few as 86 individuals (Beasley 2011).listed as critically endangered in the wild
Worldwide population ~7,000
www.angkorcambodiaguide.com
Feeds on fish, eggs, cephalopods, and crustaceans
Teakdoor.com
Irrawaddy dolphins can be found in conservation aquariums, where they can reproduce in a safe environment while learning tricks with other dolphins
Mekong in danger: dammingDrastically affect quality and quantity of
fish available for consumption.Many fish, such as the Mekong Giant
Catfish, travels upstream to spawn. Lower water levels downstream reduces
fish habitatReduced sedimentation puts the delta at
further risk of eroding into the seaLower water levels are unfavorable to
floating communities and markets
Existing:ManwanDachaoshanJinghongXiaowan
(2010)Under Constructi0n:
NuozhaduPlanned:
GongguoqiaoGanlabaMengsongPak BengLuang
PrabangXayabouriPak LaySanakhamPak ChomBan KoumLat SuaDon SahongStung TrengSambor
www.savethemekong.org 2009
Dachaoshan Dam Museumstuff.com
Xiaowan Dam Chinadaily.com.cn
Lu, X.X. and R.Y. Siew, 2005 Water discharge and sediment flux changes
in the Lower Mekong RiverInfilling of the Manwan reservoir in 1992 has
disrupted water discharge and sediment transportation.
Extremely low water levels in the Mekong may be a result of cascade damming in China.
Discharge and sediment flux was analyzed at various gauging stations along the Mekong River downstream of the Manwan Dam.
Trend shows the variation in downstream sediment concentration from before to after the Manwan dam was constructed. Sites closer to the dam shower higher before-after variability than sites further downstream.
Lu and Siew 2005 ResultsGeneral decrease in sediment discharge Lower average water levelsIncreased daily water fluctuation for sites
downstream of Manwan Dam in China.
These changes are relatively minimal at this time and only significantly affect sites nearer to the dam.
They may become detrimental to the Mekong ecosystem as time passes and more dams are built along the Mekong in China and Thailand.
Thank You! Any Questions?
Mekong River sunset, Louang Prabang, Laos www.everywheremag.com