Ecosystem health assessment of urban rivers and lakes

Abstract

The assessment of the ecosystem health of urban rivers and lakes is the scientific basis for their management and ecological restoration. This study developed a three-level indicator system for its assessment. The results indicated that: Zhonghai and Nanhai are in the state of transition from unhealthy to critical state and all the other lakes are in unhealthy states. Water environmental quality, structure and function of the aquatic ecosystem, and the structure of waterfront areas were the constraints. Nanhai was ranked as poor and the others were all ranked as very poor. However, the ecological environment of Zhonghai and Nanhai were better than the others, the sums of the degree of membership to the healthy state and critical state were all close to 0.6. and the restorations of these lakes were moderate. The sums of the degree of membership to the healthy state and critical state of the other lakes were under 0.3, as it was difficult to restore these lakes. Some suggestions on scientific management and ecological restoration of the six lakes were proposed: $`To control non-point pollution and to improve the water quality of six lakes and the water entering into these lakes; $aTo improve the hydrological conditions of six lakes; $bTo rehabilitate the aquatic ecosystem and waterfront areas.

Keywords

urban rivers and lakes / ecosystem health assessment / indicator system / the six lakes