Comprehensive Environmental Flows Assessment for Multi‐Guilds in the Riparian Habitats of the Yangtze River

The development of new strategies for the operation existing dams is essential restoring ecosystems that have already been affected by construction and current regulation these dams. assessment environmental flows (EFs) significant in guiding such strategic dam operations. However, most methods just focus on one species or guild without simultaneously considering interactions with other aquatic organisms. This study proposes an innovative method to determine comprehensive (CEFs) multi-guilds (fish, macroinvertebrates, hygrophytes) based habitat simulation model. We focused riparian habitats middle reaches Yangtze River, coupled biological preferences suitable factors, including velocity, depth, substrate, then analyzed relationships flow weighted usable areas CEFs multi-guilds. results showed while optimal could be satisfied only Spring Summer, threshold CEF conditions met Jianli reach throughout year after impoundment Three Gorges Dam (TGD). obtained using better satisfy EFs than ones developed individual species. also used evaluate impact TGD multi-guilds’ optimize ecologically-friendly operations designed helpful maintaining ecosystem integrity River provides a good example use facing similar issues.