Using the Biodiversity of Mollusca to Evaluate Water Environmental Quality in Hengyang Reaches of Xiangjiang River

The species and diversity and faunal and distribution of molluscas in Hengyang reach of Xiangjiang River were studied after many years of dayuandu hydropower station built; and in virtue of diversity indexes of molluscas, water quality were evaluated. The result of the research showed that there were 45 species of mollusca in Hengyang reaches of Xiang River, which belong to 2 classes and 9 families and 18 genera. 30 species belonging to 11 genera in 6 families of Gastropoda were found, 15 specieses belonging to 7 genera in 3 families of Bivalvia were found. The mollusca was in Oriental realm. 26 species were endemic species in China, and Mekonia hunanensis was in endangered status (It has been listed in China Species Red List as an extinct species). Shannon index was used to evaluate water quality of Hengyang reaches of Xiang River. The result showed that the water quality in Dongzhou ialand and Hengshan county town belonged to clean water, the other 8 sampling sites water had been polluted slightly.