Abstract: In order to provide basis for further protecting and improving the habitat quality of Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) in the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and to increase the wild resource of A. davidianus, an investigation was conducted in Gold Whip Stream from August to September in 2008 to quantitatively analyze the covert, water quality, and food resources in the stream. This stream is composed of lithoid bottom and bank, and has big bank gradient (82°±3°), high vegetation coverage (93%±3%) and water velocity［(0.36±0.15) m·s^-1］, and definite amounts of dens (5-7 dens ·200 m^-1), with moderate anthropogenic interferences. Its water quality is good with low nepheloid (6°-8°), high DO (6.61-8.11 mg·L^-1), and low COD (7.159.69 mg·L^-1). The average density of food organisms in the stream is (51107±9198) mg·m^-2. All the habitat characteristics suggested that Gold Whip Stream could satisfy the growth of A. davidianus, being a suitable place for increasing the wild resource of the Chinese giant salamander.

Key words: Degraded red soil, Earthworm population, Density and biomass, Seasonal fluctuation, Vegetation restoration