Abstract: The analysis of successive three year data from 2009 to 2011 revealed that the power station construction had some impact on partial Haba River reach, the ecological community gradually changing from natural river type to reservoir type, and diversity of aquatic higher plants being changed consequently. During the development of power station, the aquatic higher plants was changed from the river type emerged plants and hygrophytes to reservoir type submerged plants and marsh plants, and the furthest distribution distance Lmax was reduced from 33 m to 12 m. In the diversity index, there were no higher plants in the reservoir area of power station A which was under construction, with richness index of 0.57 in its lower reach. The value of its reservoir area was found 0.42, and the value of lower reach 0.57 in the power station C where was built many years ago, indicating that power station development affected richness index temporarily, without significant variation in number of aquatic plant species composition. The 13 diversity index was found to be changed by 100% during the construction process, and as high as 87% before and after running of the power station, show- ing significant differences in the β diversity index for aquatic higher plants.

Key words: Haba River, biodiversity, aquatic higher plant, power station development