Effect of global climate change on the sustainability of cold-water fish habitat in the alpine region: A case study on the Gymnocypris eckloni in the source region of the Yellow River

Climate change at the global scale affects the watershed's hydrology and the river's hydrodynamic, water temperature (WT), and habitat conditions of organisms. This article proposes a quantitative assessment methodology framework for analyzing the impact of GCC on the cold-water fish habitat. This framework integrated GCC, downscaling, hydrological, hydrodynamic, water temperature, and habitat models and was applied to the source region of the Yellow River (SRYR), where there are Gymnocypris eckloni (G. eckloni) resource reduction problems. In this study, we developed a high-precision, loosely integrated hydrological, hydrodynamic, WT coupling model for SWAT-MIKE21 in the SRYR. The optimal latitude and longitude range (6 degrees x 6 degrees) covering the SRYR was established for downscaling, and future meteorological data under three GCC models was obtained. The main results present the discharge of spawning, and juvenile G. eckloni indicates an increasing trend from the radiation forcing low to high and from the near now to the future term. The WT increased (decreased) in April and June (May), with a maximum increase/decrease of 3.1 degrees C (SSP370 in 2100)/1.4 degrees C (SSP585 in 2050). The weighted useable area (WUA) demonstrated a trend of severe fluctuations in May, June, and October, and other months are equal to the base year. Total WUA (TWUA) displayed an increasing trend, with the maximum increase in spawning and juvenile period being 134.46% and 270.89%, respectively. Ultimately, the rise in confluence discharge and WT caused by GCC in the SRYR benefits spawning and juvenile G. eckloni. The results have guiding significance for the development of long-term and adaptive protection and restoration measures for G. eckloni, and provide a plan for predicting the impact of climate change on other organisms in river ecosystems in high-altitude cold regions.