Abstract: With the promotion of “Great Protection of the Yangtze River”, the growth status of plankton in the Yangtze River water body has become an increasingly hot topic. Silicon, as one of the six source elements, is one of the factors that affect the growth and reproduction of plankton, and plays a vital role in the structure and stability of watershed ecosystem. In this paper, the morphological classification of silicon in rivers is introduced at first, and the significance of researching different forms of silicon is discussed. Subsequently, recent research findings in China and abroad are summarized, including the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of silicon concentration in Yangtze River Basin, and the factors which might affect silicon concentration distribution in rivers, reservoirs, and estuaries. In addition, the causes for the differences in silicon content between the Yangtze River and other rivers are compared and examined, the shortcomings of current researches are analyzed, and future research fields are prospected. The present research offers ideas and suggestions for corresponding research on the influence of silicon on the growth of plankton in the Yangtze River Basin.

Key words: waters of Yangtze River Basin, BSi, DSi, silicon content, water environment