4.3 | Implications for the conservation and management
Additional studies on the morphology and genetic structures ofSinocyclocheilus fishes will be required to confirm our findings
that populations from the Chenglong vauclusian spring (C) and the Fuming
vauclusian spring (F) have diverged. Although much efforts have been
made to protect populations of S. grahami from human exploitation
in accordance with the national protection scheme (Yue & Chen, 1998),
little remains known regarding the conservation of this species through
management practices (Li, 2001). Our findings reveal that geographic
populations of S. grahami have formed (especially within the
vauclusian spring) thereby meeting a key criterion for this species
being considered an evolutionary significant unit (ESU) (Ryder, 1986).
Although it is difficult, We therefore propose that the eight clades or
even more of the Dianchi Lake Basin should be treated as ESUs ofS. grahami for future conservation and management efforts.
Vauclusian spring provides a lebensraum for cave fish, but it also
hinders gene exchange between species, so it should be specially
protect.
Table 1 Details of sampling sites, the number ofSinocyclocheilus individuals collected, and additional samples
sourced from NCBI.