Taiwan Taoyuan Pond was formed in 1741, mainly to irrigate farmland. After nearly 300 years, it has become an important habitat for many native fish and aquatic plants.
Taoyuan pond was formed in 1741 AD. The immigrants who moved to Taiwan more than two hundred years ago found that Taoyuan tableland was too high to accumulate rainwater. And there was no suitable river channel for irrigation. Therefore, they excavated these artificial ponds for farming.
There were nearly 10.000 ponds at most in Taoyuan area, which was a spectacle in the landscape. It is also the only area in Taiwan with this landscape. Taoyuan has been called the hometown of thousands ponds. These large and small ponds have evolved for more than 100 years and have become habitat for various native plants and animals.
There is a natural spring in the pond. Rotala rotundifolia grows along the pond. Puntius snyderi will lay eggs in Rotala rotundifolia. Rhodeus ocellatus and Anodonta are symbiotic and mutually beneficial. Rhodeus ocellatus will lay eggs in Anodonta until fries hatch.
When they leave Anodonta, the Anodonta will take the opportunity to release the larval oocysts to the Rhodeus ocellatus adult fish. The oocysts will attach to fish scales, and the larvae will break away from the fish body after breaking the cysts.
Fishes
Molluscs:
Aquatic plant
Later, due to the construction of Shimen Reservoir in 1913, and the development of Taoyuan and Shimen Dazhen waterways, farm irrigation did not rely on ponds anymore. As a result, the desolation of many ponds led to eutrophication or filling up for other commercial purposes, and even many alien species’ invasion, such as Gambusia affinis, Tilapia zillii, perch, etc., causing great threat to native species.
Fan Li: The participant made a good observation on the habitat, and noticed the invasive species and their threaten to the ecosystem.
