#1115 Lower Creek Riparian Shallows, a Tributary of the Liuxi River, Guangdong, China

Biotope Information

Location & Region: Lower creek shallows, a tributary of the Liuxi River, Conghua District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Habitat Type: Lowland creek riparian shallows; slow-flowing freshwater stream with a mixed substrate of river sand and fine silt/mud, interspersed with rounded cobbles, and covered with leaf litter, twigs and algal debris. Ecological Description: This aquascape recreates the late-spring scene of the lower shallows. It captures a transition phase: the previous autumn and winter's fallen leaves, twigs and algal debris remain on the substrate, while new-season emergent plants have begun to sprout. Juncus effusus takes root in the sandy-muddy areas, Acorus gramineus anchors its rhizomes to the stream cobbles, and Persicaria hydropiper extends from the bank into the water, forming a complex riparian plant community. The water flow is gentle, with rounded stones accumulated near the shore, providing shelter for small fish. The fish are entering their breeding season. Oryzias pectoralis inhabits the surface layer, while Rhodeus ocellatus and Barbodes semifasciolatus school in the mid-to-lower water column. The dense aquatic vegetation offers refuge and feeding grounds for juveniles, highlighting the ecological role of this habitat as a spawning and nursery area. Species identification was verified through the following databases: botanical nomenclature was confirmed via iPlant (www.iplant.cn); fish taxonomy and distribution data were verified through FishBase (www.fishbase.org). Parameters： pH: 6.8 Temperature: 24℃ GH: 62 ppm KH: 22 ppm DO: 89% References: Li, F. (2024). Freshwater Fishes of China. Fuzhou: The Straits Publishing & Distributing Group. ISBN: 9787556712861. He, W.X., Hu, D.X., Xu, R.J., & Wang, S. (2022). Response of fish community to water environmental factors and screening of key indicator species in Liuxi River. Biotic Resources, 44(3), 223-235. doi:10.14188/j.ajsh.2022.03.001