Lying just off the Yangtze River, Dongting Lake has served as an essential buffer zone in times of flood in the region, receiving excess water from China's mightiest river and protecting many downstream. In recent decades however, the lake has shrunk dramatically, causing scientists to begin investigating the causes of these changes and their effects on one of the country's most important lakes.
This video is a part of Sean Gallergher's project for Pulitzer Center "China's Disappearing Wetlands" bit.ly/nKuZtK