Professor Liu Haiping from Southwest University's School of Life Science has been at the forefront of biodiversity conservation in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River for two decades. Based in Chongqing Municipality, Liu's 20-year dedication includes 15 years focused on fish conservation in the remote zones of the Xizang Autonomous Region.
“There are about 180 kinds of fish in Chongqing. Some are unique to the Yangtze River, and a small number are endangered. For these endangered fish, we have to adopt special technical means to preserve them,” Liu explained.
To prevent extinction, Liu and his team employ germplasm conservation, selecting specimens with superior disease resistance and genetic traits for breeding stronger varieties. “Germplasm conservation is actually not far from our daily life. Take the goldfish, for example. That is a form of germplasm conservation, as we continue to select those with better colors and shapes for breeding,” Liu added.
A germplasm resources bank for upper-reach species is being developed with the goal of increasing fish breeding and releasing one million rare and unique fish into the Yangtze River. “As a team of aquaculture specialists, our goal is to ensure these endangered fish are still around hundreds or thousands of years from now. We hope that through our consistent efforts, one day these rare fish can be seen everywhere. That is the result we hope to see in the long run,” Liu stated.
The population of endangered fish in the Yangtze River has been steadily recovering in recent years, thanks to a 10-year fishing ban effective since 2021 and the unwavering efforts of conservationists and scientists like Liu.
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University professor leads biodiversity efforts in upper Yangtze River
cgtn.com
