Diversity inventory of threatened freshwater fishes in the Mekong Delta
Project overview
Determining the distributional regions of species is a critical challenge for the understanding of biodiversity and conservation. Bung Binh Thien is a wetland ecosystem located in the lower Mekong River, which is home to 111 freshwater fishes, including two Critically Endangered and four Vulnerable species. The distribution of fishes in Bung Binh Thien is still incomplete because of a lack of monitoring studies on species diversity, which creates a gap in the information about population status and the number of threatened species present in the area.
Threats
Disruption of water flow
Habitat loss & degradation
Over-exploitation of natural resources & prey depletion
Filling this gap is currently jeopardized by the fast degradation of Bung Binh Thien natural habitats due to a large array of perturbations, including reduced water exchange between the lake and Bình Di River, over-exploitation, and water pollution from livestock activities on rafts, tourism on the water surface, and catering services along the banks. Therefore, the application of a new tool to monitor populations quickly without harming fish lives is necessary to avoid wasting time and money on incorrect conservation in Bung Binh Thien.
Project objectives
To monitor populations quickly without harming fish lives, the project will use an environmental DNA (eDNA) tool and community-based surveys to check the presence of threatened species population and investigate the species composition of fish fauna in Bung Binh Thien.
At the same time, the project also recognizes the threats present at Bung Binh Thien that are affecting fish species and may continue to affect them in the future.
Project activities
Conduct field surveys at Bung Binh Thien and local market.
- eDNA sampling at six evenly spaced points in the Bung Binh Thien, including collect water samples and filter the water, recording coordinates by GPS, and take pictures of landscapes and vegetation.
- Interviewing the salesman at local market and fisherman around Bung Binh Thien about the presence of threatened species during the past 10 years and during the study period.
Carry out laboratory work at the lab of Zoology, University of Science, Vietnam National University.
- Search and synthesise information from documents related to environmental pollution, fishing and aquaculture, tourism, and alien species.
- Conduct statistical analysis and bioinformative analysis.
This project is implemented by Tran Chau Bao Tram, University of Science, Vietnam National University.
