Stable isotope ratios in archived striped bass scales suggest changes in trophic structure

Stable carbon isotope ratios were measured in archived striped bass, Morone saxatilis (Walbaum), scales to identify changes in the feeding behaviour of this species over time. Striped bass tissue and scale samples were collected from Rhode Island coastal waters during 1996 and archived scale samples (1982–1997) were obtained from Chesapeake Bay. Known striped bass prey items were also collected from Chesapeake Bay and analysed for δ¹³C. A significant correlation was observed between carbon isotope ratios in striped bass scales and muscle tissue (r² = 0.52; P < 0.05). Carbon isotope ratios were enriched (less negative) in scales relative to muscle tissue by about 3‰. Carbon isotope ratios in archived striped bass scales from Chesapeake Bay increased significantly from ?16.7 ± 0.2‰ in 1982 to ?15.1 ± 0.3‰ in 1997. Benthic species, especially invertebrates, were isotopically enriched relative to pelagic fish species collected from the main‐stem of Chesapeake Bay. Prey samples collected from riverine locations within Chesapeake Bay were isotopically depleted relative to those collected in the open portion of the Bay. The changes in the carbon isotope ratios of the striped bass scales could be related to changes in the relative proportions of pelagic and benthic food items in the diet of striped bass or to changes in the feeding locations of this species. In either case, there have been changes in the feeding behaviour and/or relationships of the striped bass between 1982 and 1997. Such changes may be related to changing ecological conditions within the estuary, which could influence the health of Chesapeake Bay striped bass.     

莱州湾鱼类群落的关键种

关键种对群落结构稳定性起着决定作用,它的筛选对于整个生态系统的研究都具有重要的理论和实际意义。本研究基于2011年5月对莱州湾渔业底拖网数据,以摄食关系为基础构建了莱州湾鱼类群落种间相互作用关系网,运用网络分析法计算了该关系网的13种重要性指数及Key Player Problem参数(F、DF和DR)。根据13种指数的排序结果、聚类信息和3个Key Player Problem参数,对莱州湾鱼类群落的关键种进行了筛选。结果显示,13种重要性指数可划分为4个信息组:a(D、CC、IC、TI~1和TI~7)即基本信息组、b(D_(in)、H_(in)和K_t)即信息输入组、c(D_(out)、H_(out)和K_b)即信息输出组和d(BC和K)即信息控制组。细纹狮子鱼(D、D_(in)、BC、CC、IC、H_(in)、TI~1、TI~7、K、K_t、F、~DF和~DR)和六丝矛尾虾虎鱼(D_(out)、H_(out)和K_b)在莱州湾鱼类群落的网络分析结果中处于最高地位,密切联系着群落的其他种群,控制着群落的结构和能流,属于群落的关键种,其中细纹狮子鱼是关键捕食者,控制着群落中其他重要食物竞争者和捕食者密度,六丝矛尾虾虎鱼是关键被捕食者,通过维持捕食者的密度来限制其他被捕食者的密度。     

Quantifying trophic interactions and niche sizes of juvenile fishes in an invaded riverine cyprinid fish community

Quantifying feeding interactions between nonindigenous and indigenous fishes in invaded fish communities is important for determining how introduced species integrate into native food webs. Here, the trophic interactions of invasive 0+ European barbel Barbus barbus (L.) and the three other principal 0+ fishes in the community, Squalius cephalus (L.), Leuciscus leuciscus (L.) and Phoxinus phoxinus (L.), were investigated in the River Teme, a River Severn tributary in Western England. B. barbus has been present in the River Teme for approximately 40 years. Analyses of stomach contents from samples collected from three sites between June and September 2015 revealed that, overall, fishes displayed a generalist feeding strategy, with most prey having low frequency of selection. Relationships of diet composition versus body length and gape height were species‐specific, with increasing dietary specialisms apparent as the 0+ fishes increased in length and gape height. The trophic niche size of invasive B. barbus was always significantly smaller than S. cephalus and L. leuciscus and was significantly smaller than P. phoxinus at two sites. This was primarily due to differences in the functional morphology of the fishes; 0+ B. barbus were generally restricted to foraging on the benthos, whereas the other fishes were able to forage on prey present throughout the water column. Nevertheless, the invasive B. barbus were exploiting very similar prey items to populations in their native range, suggesting these invaders were strongly pre‐adapted to the River Teme and this arguably facilitated their establishment and invasion.     

Spatial patterns in fish biomass and relative trophic level abundance in a wastewater enriched river

Abstract –  It is generally accepted that nutrient enrichment of aquatic systems will lead to increased production at the top trophic level (fish). We found that in the wastewater enriched Bow River, Alberta rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ) biomass increased over 25-fold, and brown trout ( Salmo trutta ) biomass increased 5-fold, however total sportfish biomass did not increase below the nutrient input point source. This was due to a dramatic downstream decrease in mountain whitefish ( Prosopium williamsoni ) biomass to 2% of the average biomass upstream of the municipal effluent source. The spatial pattern over a 177-km river section encompassing the city of Calgary, showed that the increase in trout abundance approximately tracked the expected nutrient concentrations in the river, but with a downstream lag of 20–30 km. Mountain whitefish biomass over the 177 km was inversely related to the dominant trout species, rainbow trout. Invertebrate abundance, macrophyte biomass and phytoplankton biomass all increased below the wastewater treatment plant outfalls. However, periphyton data were highly variable and showed no response. We propose several hypotheses as regards the factors that may have led to the decrease in mountain whitefish, based on the data from all trophic levels and the spatial pattern for fish biomass. Proposed factors influencing the mountain whitefish decline were; altered competitive ability because of macrophyte abundance, ammonia toxicity and barriers to movement (weirs).     

Impaired littoral energy pathways cause a shift to pelagic resources by fish in recovering lake food webs

Fish communities may increase in biomass and productivity due to energy subsidies from the littoral invertebrate community. In lakes recovering from acidification and metal contamination, such as those in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, impaired benthic invertebrate communities (i.e., low diversity with higher abundance of small‐bodied taxa) allowed a critical test of the role of these littoral pathways on fish diet. We compared fish abundance, diversity, diet and biomass in eight recovering and eight reference lakes and related availability of the main littoral and pelagic invertebrate groups to fish diet regime using stable isotope analysis. A Bayesian mixing model (MixSIR) was used to estimate diet likelihood, and convex hull analysis was used to estimate trophic niche space of fish communities. Fish biomass did not differ between impaired and reference lakes despite substantial differences in potential diet. Fish depended strongly on littoral benthos in the reference lakes but consumed more pelagic food in the impaired lakes. The trophic niche of the focal, most common fish species (i.e., yellow perch, smallmouth bass, pumpkinseed and brown bullhead) was larger in the impaired lakes. We attributed these differences to low diversity at the highest trophic levels of fish communities in the impaired lakes as well as to depauperate benthic invertebrate communities. In contrast to the food webs of most temperate lakes, fish in impaired lakes preyed less on littoral invertebrates yet still managed to maintain a reference lake level of biomass standing crop by relying more on pelagic resources – macro zooplankton such as Chaoborus.     

Analysis of food preference and competition based on stomach contents of fish species inhabiting fresh and brackish waters in South Korea

We analysed the stomach contents of fish species inhabiting fresh and brackish waters of South Korea to improve our understanding of feeding preferences and competition among them. The stomach contents of 54 fish species contained 237 genera, 187 families, 84 orders, 37 classes and 25 phyla. Faunal food items included 164 genera, 129 families, 47 orders, 23 classes and 16 phyla. Floral food items were relatively limited, comprising 73 genera, 58 families, 37 orders, 14 classes and nine phyla. The most consumed faunal food item was Chironomidae (Diptera), whereas the most consumed floral food item was Fragilariaceae (Fragilariales). The 54 fish species were classified into six groups using hierarchical and nonmetric multidimensional analysis based on their food preferences: Group 1 (G1) fishes were zooplanktivores; group 2 (G2) fishes mainly consumed Malacostraca, Maxillopoda and other fishes (e.g. Osmeriformes); groups 3 (G3) and 4 (G4) consumed Chlorophyta, Cyanobacteria and Bacillariophyta; and groups 5 (G5) and 6 (G6) consumed macroinvertebrates. Network analysis was used to link fishes with their food items. The highest hub score for food items was for macroinvertebrates, including Diptera (13.9), Ephemeroptera (11.1) and Trichoptera (8.2). Niche breadth analysis represented the diversity of food items among the feeding groups (G1–G6). Food item diversity was high for planktivores (G1 and G3) and omnivores (G4). Conversely, the dietary diversity of carnivores (G2) and insectivores (G5) was limited. Competitive relationships between fishes, as represented by the niche overlap in G5 (insectivores), were higher than those between other groups.     

Generalist feeding strategies in Arctic freshwater fish: A mechanism for dealing with extreme environments

Generalist feeding strategies are favoured in stressful or variable environments where flexibility in ecological traits is beneficial. Species that feed across multiple habitat types and trophic levels may impart stability on food webs through the use of readily available, alternative energy pools. In lakes, generalist fish species may take advantage of spatially and temporally variable prey by consuming both benthic and pelagic prey to meet their energy demands. Using stomach content and stable isotope analyses, we examined the feeding habits of fish species in Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) lakes to determine the prevalence of generalist feeding strategies as a mechanism for persistence in extreme environments (e.g. low productivity, extreme cold and short growing season). Generalist and flexible feeding strategies were evident in five common fish species. Fish fed on benthic and pelagic (or nektonic) prey and across trophic levels. Three species were clearly omnivorous, feeding on fish and their shared invertebrate prey. Dietary differences based on stomach content analysis often exceeded 70%, and overlap in dietary niches based on shared isotopic space varied from zero to 40%. Metrics of community‐wide trophic structure varied with the number and identity of species involved and on the dietary overlap and niche size of individual fishes. Accumulation of energy from shared carbon sources by Arctic fishes creates redundancy in food webs, increasing likely resistance to perturbations or stochastic events. Therefore, the generalist and omnivorous feeding strategies employed by ACP fish may maintain energy flow and food web stability in extreme environments.     

Influence of mesoscale physical forcing on trophic pathways and fish larvae retention in the central Cantabrian Sea

This study was carried out over the central Cantabrian shelf during a post‐bloom phase in May. Late phases of the spring phytoplankton bloom, which are characterized by high crustacean mesozooplankton biomass, have been proposed to be a particular case for high‐energy flow towards large metazoans. The overall objective of the study is to analyse the influence of mesoscale physical forcing on primary production patterns, its implications on food web pathways, and on larval fish distribution during a period of intense spawning of Sardina pilchardus and Scomber scombrus. Physical and biological variables of different trophic levels show coupled cross‐shelf and along‐shelf heterogeneity. Quasi‐geostrophic analysis and other indirect approaches, such as the depth of the slope salinity maximum, reveal predictable patterns of vertical instabilities associated with mesoscale physical forcing that enhance production of large‐size phytoplankton. The latter is expected to enhance the energy flow towards higher trophic levels at a time of high mesozooplankton biomass. Distributions of S. pilchardus and S. scombrus eggs and larvae indicate retention related to the coastal salinity front and the overall eastward circulation pattern. The observed mesoscale physical processes may favour survival of early stages of fish by their influence on the energy flow of primary production towards higher trophic levels and larval retention at the coast.     

Geographical variations in the trophic structure of the plankton community along a eutrophic–mesotrophic–oligotrophic transect

The geographical variations in trophic structure of the plankton community, as defined by total and relative carbon biomass of phytoplankton (PP), bacteria (BA), heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF), microzooplankton (MZ), and herbivorous (HNZ) and carnivorous net-zooplankton (CNZ), were investigated along an inshore–offshore transect from the innermost part of Osaka Bay to the Pacific Ocean off Kii Channel, Japan, in June 1991. Based on physico-chemical properties of the water and topographical features, the transect was divided into three trophic areas, i.e. eutrophic, mesotrophic and oligotrophic ones. The average carbon biomass of the total plankton community was highest (438 mg m⁻³) in the inshore eutrophic area, and declined steeply offshore (141 and 26.6 mg m⁻³ in the mesotrophic and oligotrophic areas, respectively). In the offshore oligotrophic area, the relative biomass of BA to PP and the relative biomass of small heterotrophs (i.e. BA, HNF and MZ) to the total heterotrophs were higher than in the other areas, indicating that the microbial food chain predominated. In the mesotrophic area, the biomass of HNZ (primarily copepods) was conspicuously high, even higher than that of PP, suggesting that the traditional grazing food chain prevailed. Because of this short food chain, a productive fishing ground is formed there. In the eutrophic area, the biomass of HNZ was much smaller relative to the enormous biomass of PP, indicating that a considerable amount of primary production was not utilized directly by the metazoan zooplankton. However, the relative contribution of the small heterotrophs to the total heterotrophs' biomass was higher in this area, as in the oligotrophic area.     

Temporal changes in the fish community structure of a small subtropical spring lake: Decadal and seasonal analysis

In spring lakes, which have homogeneous environmental characteristics, it is expected that there will be no significant changes in the composition and structure of communities over time, and fluctuations will generally be related to the ecological attributes of the species. We studied the fish community in a small subtropical spring lake, Lake Zacapu, for two different decades to analyse its structural characteristics. Sampling was performed every 3 months at four sites from January to October 1995 and from May 2019 to May 2020. We determined the temporal variation (seasonal and decadal) in the fish community structure with respect to composition, abundance, diversity and dominance. We evaluated the association between species and water quality. Our results showed spatial homogeneity in most physicochemical variables that remained in the same range across decades, although some nutrients (NO₃) recently increased. All species identified in the early samples were present in the recent surveys (eleven native and two nonnative species), indicating that the fish community composition had significant qualitative stability. However, the dominant littoral cyprinid in 1995 was replaced by the more limnetic atherinopsid in 2019–2020, and the diversity and abundance of sensitive fish decreased in recent samplings. Consequently, the current status of critically endangered species is supported for some restricted and microendemic fish. The changes in the community structure attributes, which show a tendency for reduction in native species, emphasise the need to implement efforts to conserve freshwater fish diversity in small spring lakes.     

上海青草沙水库食物网结构特征分析

为了给青草沙水库生态系统能量流动和物质循环分析提供基础数据,并为生物操纵等生态修复实践提供科学依据,在青草沙水库采集了鱼类、底栖动物、浮游植物、浮游动物和悬浮物样品,结合碳氮稳定同位素(δ~(13)C和δ~(15)N)技术和胃肠内含物分析法,利用IsoSource软件计算了不同食物对消费者的贡献率,并应用"简化食物网"原则,构建青草沙水库生态系统食物网,分析其结构特征。结果显示,青草沙水库食物网的δ~(13)C值为-28.15‰～-21.53‰,δ~(15)N值为6.81‰～14.94‰。在青草沙水库中,刀鲚Coilia nasus和红鳍原鲌Culter erythropterus属于顶级肉食者,其营养级分别3.595和3.589,其他鱼类的营养级在2.482～3.264。青草沙水库食物网结构显示,浮游动物对杂食性鱼类贝氏歺又鱼Hemiculter bleekeri(34%)和寡鳞飘鱼Pseudolaubuca engraulis(32%)的碳源贡献率较高,浮游植物对似鱎Toxabramis swinhonis的贡献率(31%)高于浮游动物(11%),大型无脊椎动物对黄颡鱼Pelteobagrus fulvidraco(60%)和光泽黄颡鱼Pseudobagrus nitidus(64%)的贡献率远高于其他食物成分,处在食物网顶端的刀鲚和红鳍原鲌的食物主要来源于饵料鱼类。青草沙水库食物链长度为3.60个营养级。     

南海柘林湾鱼类群落结构季节变动的研究

为阐明南海柘林湾鱼类群落结构的动态变化,基于2011年4月(春季)、8月(夏季)、11月(秋季)和2012年2月(冬季)对南海柘林湾拖网调查的数据,对柘林湾鱼类群落结构季节动态、鱼类营养级指数季节变化进行了初步分析。结果显示,各季节调查共捕获鱼类99种,底层鱼类占49.49%,暖水性鱼类占78.78%,肉食性鱼类占79.79%。各季节质量百分比和数量百分比优势种以拟矛尾■虎鱼(Parachaeturichthys polynema)、龙头鱼(Harpodon nehereus)、皮氏叫姑鱼(Johnius belengeri)等为主。柘林湾鱼类资源密度和资源尾数密度最高季节为夏季,各季节鱼类个体体质量大多小于15 g。春、秋季鱼类组成相对丰富,冬季生物量优势度最高。柘林湾鱼类以中级肉食性和高级肉食性为主,年度平均营养级指数为3.478,属于中级水平,夏季高营养级鱼类平均体质量最高。     

Diet and trophic niche of the endangered fish Garra ghorensis in three Jordanian populations

Garra ghorensis is a small riverine cyprinid fish endemic to the southern Dead Sea that is endangered through habitat loss and invasive species. Here, their diet and trophic niche were assessed in three Jordanian populations: an allopatric population, a population sympatric with native Capoeta damascina and a population sympatric with invasive Oreochromis aureus. Stomach content analyses of samples collected between February 2011 and January 2012 revealed that detritus and algae were prominent food items in their diets, with low dietary contributions of animal material. The most frequent and abundant macro‐invertebrates in intestines were Odonata nymphs and gastropod species. The calculation of trophic niche size from the stomach content data revealed that the niche of G. ghorensis (0.10) was generally smaller than sympatric C. damascina (0.24), with an overlap of 72%, whereas they had a larger trophic niche than sympatric O. aureus (0.20–0.13), with a niche overlap of 54%. These outputs were generally supported by stable isotope analyses of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N completed on samples collected at the end of the 2011 growth season, although these indicated a greater contribution of animal material to assimilated diet. They also indicated that the trophic niche breadth [as standard ellipse area (SEA)] of C. damascina (4.18‰²) was higher than G. ghorensis (2.48‰²) and overlapped by 26%. For G. ghorensis, their SEA was slightly larger than O. aureus (4.33–4.00‰²), with an overlap of 27%. Although both methods indicated some sharing of food resources between sympatric fishes, there was no evidence suggesting detrimental outcomes for G. ghorensis and thus was not considered as a constraint on the status of their populations.     

Stable isotope analysis of energy sources for larvae of eight fish species from the Amazon floodplain

Abstract – Aquatic macrophytes form the most productive habitat of the Amazon floodplain and account for more than 60% of the net primary production of the ecosystem. Aquatic grasses are the dominant macrophytes and the main feeding ground of Amazonian larval fish. The present study used stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon to measure the contribution of aquatic grasses to the production of eight larval fish, and describes the structure of the trophic chain. The carnivore larvae were at the third trophic level, and the detritivores were at the second and third trophic levels. The contribution of aquatic grasses to larval fish production was variable. It could reach a mean value of 25% for three species, but its contribution probably did not exceed 12% in the other five species.     

应用稳定同位素技术研究崂山湾夏季鱼类群落的摄食生态

崂山湾是黄海沿岸众多海湾之一,也是当前增殖放流的重要水域,研究该区域鱼类群落结构及其食物网结构,有着非常重要的生态意义和实用价值。本研究根据2014年6月和8月在崂山湾海域进行的底拖网调查,分析该海域夏季鱼类群落的优势种组成,并通过测定稳定同位素对其摄食生态进行研究。结果表明,崂山湾夏季鱼类群落的优势鱼种共有10种,包括六丝矛尾鳅虎鱼、中华栉孔鳅虎鱼、红狼牙鳅虎鱼、皮氏叫姑鱼、白姑鱼、小黄鱼、绿鳍鱼、短吻红舌鳎、斑鲨和赤鼻棱鳀;夏季崂山湾不同月份鱼类群落的优势种组成差异较大。各优势鱼种间δ13C值存在显著差异,结合胃含物分析结果表明6月鱼类群落食物的主要来源均为底层饵料,而8月鱼类群落的食物来源则更广泛。崂山湾夏季2个月鱼类群落的优势鱼种间的δ15N值均存在显著差异,最大分别相差4.61‰和3.70‰。崂山湾6月鱼类群落的优势种包括了中营养级鱼类和高营养级鱼类,鱼类群落的平均营养级为3.90,主要是底栖动物食性鱼类;而8月鱼类群落的优势种包括了低营养级鱼类和中营养级鱼类,鱼类群落的平均营养级为3.37,包括浮游动物食性和底栖动物食性2种食性类型,以底栖动物食性鱼类为主。线性回归分析表明崂山湾夏季10种优势鱼种除皮氏叫姑鱼、斑鲨、短吻红舌鳎和绿鳍鱼的营养级与体长无线性相关外,其余优势鱼种的营养级均与体长呈显著的正相关。这主要由于它们随着体长的增加,摄食高营养级的饵料增加,低营养级的饵料减少,自身的营养级也随之升高。     

Trophic structure of a pond community dominated by an invasive alien species: Insights from stomach content and stable isotope analyses

1. Invaders affect native species across multiple trophic levels, influencing the structure and stability of freshwater communities. Based on the ‘trophic position hypothesis’, invaders at the top of the food web are more harmful to native species via direct and indirect effects than trophically analogous native predators are.
2. However, introduced and native predators can coexist, especially when non-native species have no ecological and behavioural similarities with natives, occupy an empty niche, or natives show generalist anti-predator strategies that are effective at the community level.
3. At present, conservation efforts are focused on eradicating invaders; however, their removal may lead to unwanted and unexpected outcomes, especially when invaders are well established and strongly interspersed with natives. This highlights the need to consider invaders in a whole-ecosystem context and to consider the evolutionary history and behavioural ecology of natives and invaders before active management is applied.
4. Here, stomach content and stable isotope analyses were combined to investigate a pond system dominated by invaders in order to understand the effects of the interactions among upper level predators and lower level members of the food web on the whole community structure.
5. Both diet and isotope analyses showed that several invaders contributed to the diet of natives and invaders. A significant isotope overlap was found among upper level predators. However, stomach content analysis suggested that predators reduced the potential competition differentiating the food spectrum by including additional prey in their diet. Both native and non-native upper level predators, by preying on invaders, seem not to exert a strong suppressive effect through predation and competition on native species.
6. This research confirms the importance of studying food webs to identify ecological conditions that forecast the potential for deleterious impacts before management is applied. In cases where invaders cannot be eradicated, management efforts should follow a conciliatory approach promoting the coexistence of native species with invaders.

     

三峡库区干流鱼类食物网动态及季节性变化

为了解三峡大坝蓄水后库区干流鱼类食物网结构及营养关系的构成,应用碳(δ¹³C)、氮(δ¹⁵N)稳定性同位素技术,分别于2010年夏季(7月份)和冬季(12月份)对三峡库区巫山至万州段干流鱼类食物网结构及营养关系的季节变化进行了探讨,并与2005年夏季该区域鱼类食物网结构和营养关系组成情况进行了比较。结果显示:本次(2010年)调查颗粒有机物(POM)和固着藻类样品δ¹³C值分别为-25.62‰～-23.72‰、-19.81‰～-19.47‰,且无显著性季节(夏季和冬季)差异。POM 和固着藻类(内源性营养物质)是三峡库区巫山至万州段干流鱼类食物网基础能量的主要来源,但外源性营养物质输入也是其基础能量来源的重要补充途径。与2005年相比,2010年该区域鱼类食物网中消费者δ¹³C值富集度和食物网营养级长度均有所增加。该研究结果对三峡库区鱼类资源增殖放流和生态修复有重要指导意义。     

Effects of fish farming on nutrients and benthic community structure in the Eastern Aegean (Turkey)

The impact of a sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L., 1758) farm on water quality and benthic community structure was investigated at a fish farm site in Engeceli Bay (western part of Izmir Bay) between April 2001 and February 2002. The characteristics of the water column in the fish farm were investigated in terms of physical and chemical parameters. Concentrations of nitrate, phosphate and ammonium ions in all sampling stations within the Bay were compared with the water quality parameters measured at the outer part of Izmir Bay (Eastern Aegean Sea). While there were significant differences from season to season of the levels of ammonium, orthophosphate, total phosphate and nitrite, there were no significant differences among stations. However, nitrate values and organic carbon contents showed significant differences among sampling stations. A reference station was selected to compare benthic groups. While the reference site is characterized by a sandy bottom with the lowest carbon and highest diversity values, the other stations with silty‐clay bottoms showed higher organic enrichment and lower diversity with increasing abundance of polychaeta. Organic enrichment and particle size of sediments were closely associated with faunal groups particularly with polychaeta and mollusca.     

长湖鱼类群落结构的时空变化

为了解长江中游鱼类群落结构、多样性及其与环境因子的关系,2021年6月和11月在长江中游5个江段(宜昌、石首、嘉鱼、武汉、湖口)开展了鱼类和环境调查。定量分析了鱼类群落结构特征、时空分布格局及其与环境因子的关系。研究期间共采集到鱼类16 335尾,隶属6目13科50属76种,其中鲤形目鱼类最多(52种),占总种数的70%。在3种生活习性类型中,定居性鱼类物种数最多(80%);在3种摄食类型中,肉食性鱼类物种数最多(46%);在3种产卵类型中,产黏性卵鱼类的物种数最多(50%)。相对重要性指数(IRI)显示,瓦氏黄颡鱼、银鲴、三角鲂、铜鱼等中小型鱼类为优势种。平均Margalef丰富度指数为5.11、平均Pielou均匀度指数为0.63、平均Shannon-Wiener多样性指数为3.23、平均Simpson优势度指数为0.26。丰度/生物量比较曲线表明,宜昌和湖口江段鱼类群落受人类活动干扰严重,石首、嘉鱼和武汉江段鱼类群落相对稳定。Cluster和NMDS分析结果表明,长江中游的鱼类群落可划分为3个类群,宜昌为一类群;石首、嘉鱼和武汉为一类群;湖口为一类群。RDA分析结果显示,NH₄⁺-N和底质类型是影响长江中游鱼类群落结构差异的主要因子。研究表明,与历史资料相比,长江中游鱼类群落发生了显著变化,经济鱼类占比减少,鱼类个体呈现小型化和低龄化。引起这些变化的原因是由于长期的人类活动和自然环境变化共同作用的结果。     

Damming and seasonality as modulators of fish community structure in a small tributary

River damming alters the physical–chemical variables of water and often causes compartmentalisation of aquatic habitats. Seasonality can add complexity to the longitudinal compartmentalisation. The spatial and temporal effects of these two phenomena on the structure of ichthyofauna from a tributary under the influence of damming were evaluated, based on the following hypotheses: (1) transition habitats have the greatest species richness; (2) community similarity decreases with increasing distance between sites; (3) conservation of free‐flowing areas upstream reservoir contributes to the maintenance of migratory species. To evaluate the effects of these two phenomena, twelve monthly fish samples (September/12 to August/13) were performed with gillnets in three sample areas distributed longitudinally in the tributary. Limnological variables were measured in the same sample areas to confirm compartmentalisation. We observed three distinct limnological compartments (lotic, transition and lentic), with increase differentiation during the rainy season. This compartmentalisation influenced fish fauna where localised communities exhibited different compositions among the three sampled habitats. During the rainy season, these differences become pronounced, with transition habitat showing greater species richness than the others. More pronounced differences in species composition and structure in extremes sampling sites were also observed. Migratory fish presented higher proportion of fish composition in lotic habitat. In conclusion, damming and seasonality acted concomitantly as modulators of fish fauna in a tributary influenced by damming. However, compartmentalisation of habitats was the primary driver of ichthyofauna community structure with the rainy season increasing differences in community composition.