Since 2021, the China Zhi Gong Party has partnered with Anhui Province on a Yangtze River eco-environmental protection project, leveraging intellectual resources to launch a five-year 'science and technology empowerment' initiative across the Jianghuai region. The initiative aims to address the complex challenges of river basin management through innovative approaches.
Among the key contributors is Zhang Wei, a member of the China Zhi Gong Party and a professor at Peking University. She leads a team using environmental DNA (eDNA) technology to monitor biodiversity in Chaohu Lake and the Wanjiang River's main and branch tributaries in Anhui Province. eDNA technology allows scientists to identify minute traces of life in water samples, including invasive species that are difficult to detect visually. 'We capture or collect these minute traces of environmental information and then amplify them,' Zhang explained.
This non-invasive method eliminates the need to fish or disturb aquatic life, enabling scientists to assess biodiversity simply by analyzing genetic information from water samples. The approach has opened new pathways for evaluating the effectiveness of the Yangtze River fishing ban and conducting biodiversity monitoring. Over the past five years, Zhang's team has worked closely with Anhui University and local environmental protection authorities to establish multiple sampling sites in Chaohu Lake and the Wanjiang River.
The technology's application is part of a broader effort to promote science-based environmental monitoring. Zhang hopes that through targeted oversight, eDNA monitoring technology will be adopted on a larger scale. 'We hope to set an example so that everyone can do their part to support environmental protection and monitoring in this way,' she said. The initiative underscores the growing role of advanced scientific tools in China's environmental governance, offering a template for other regions facing similar ecological challenges.
