Population dynamics and community structure of fish in the mangroves of Pagbilao, Philippines

128 fish species were recorded for the mangroves of Pagbilao. Aspects of the population dynamics of the common species, Ambassis kopsi, Secutor ruconius. Leiognathus brevirostris and Prosopodasys gogorzae were investigated. Growth coefficients varied from 0.41 to 1.2. Mortality in the mangroves was high, and most species there breed once per year.
Species diversity ( H ') of the community ranged from 1.05 to 2.9. It was influenced by evenness rather than by species richness. Species abundance gave a log normal distribution, except during the typhoon, when it fitted the niche preemption model.     

Environmental factors as forces structuring the fish community of the Elbe Estuary

Smelt, flounder, eel, three-spined stickleback, twaite shad, ruffe and herring were the major species among 62 forming the fish community of the Elbe estuary. Species richness, species diversity, evenness and total fish biomass decreased in the upstream direction. Total abundance was greatest during summer. Salinity was the most significant physico-chemical factor affecting species richness and total fish biomass, whereas water temperature was the best predictor of total abundance. Marine fish species decreased with decreasing salinity, while the freshwater species roach and ide were absent at salinities > 15‰. Bream, blue bream, white bream, perch and pikeperch occurred more frequently in shallow marginal regions with lower current velocities, while herring and other marine species occurred closer to the deep central regions with high current velocities. Annual and seasonal variations of the community structure mainly reflected in population dynamics of smelt, flounder, twaite shad, three-spined stickleback and eel, especially those of 0-age smelt. Populations of smelt and ruffe and their importance in the fish community increased between 1989 and 1992, while those of twaite shad and eel decreased. At oxygen concentrations <3 mg I¹, smelt and flounder were rare, but eels were at their maximum at 3.5 mg I⁻¹. Changes of species composition and fish abundance were closely related to daytime and tidal cycle.     

连江鱼类群落多样性及其与环境因子的关系

目前连江梯级开发至12级,为了解梯级开发后连江鱼类群落状况,于2009年3月和2010年4月对连江上、中、下游7个代表江段的鱼类群落结构以及环境因子分别进行了调查,共采集鱼类98种,分属于9目20科75属。海南墨头鱼Garra pingi hainanensis、南方长须鳅鮀Gobiobtia longibarba meridionalis为连江新纪录种。银鮈Squalidus argentatus、黄颡鱼Pelteobagrus fulvidraco、小鳈Sarcocheilichthys parvus、马口鱼Opsariichthys bidens、餐Hemiculter lecuisculus等小型鱼类在鱼类群落结构中占优势地位。对鱼类群落进行聚类分析(CLUSTER)和非度量多维标度排序(NMDS)分析结果表明连江鱼类被划分为3个类群,即下游河口类群、中下游类群及中上游类群;S2、S3两个站位鱼类物种多样性(H’)、丰富度(D’)和均匀度(J’)均高于其他站位。通过对连江各站位鱼类群落与环境因子的典型对应分析发现:河宽、温度、海拔、pH值和水坝之间的距离5个因子与鱼类群落相关性较强(P<0.05)。与历史资料对比后发现,连江鱼类种类、分布、生态类型都发生了巨大变化。     

An analysis of the distribution of fish species in a large prairie lake

The distribution of fishes in Dauphin Lake, a large, shallow, turbid, prairie lake in west-central Manitoba, was examined using gillnets. Catch per unit effort was used to assess differences in distribution thai may be attributed lo year, season, lake zone (inshore, offshore), substratum, water depth, water temperature, turbidity and presence of other fish species. Although 13 species were caught, only the distributions of the six most abundant was analysed. Variation in number of species caught was attributed mainly to lake zone, water depth and water temperature. White sucker (Catastomus commersoni) distribution can be explained by zone and temperature. Shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) catches were related to depth and temperature. Cisco (Coregonus artedii) catches varied with year, zone and temperature. Variances in northern pike (Esox Indus) distribution reflected year and zone. Walleye (Stizostedkm vitreum) varied with year, depth and temperature and differences in the catches of yellow perch (Pertaflurescens) were attributed to year, depth, temperature and turbidity. They were also positively correlated to the numbers of northern pike caught.     

Population structure and residency patterns of the blacktip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus in turbid coastal environments

This study examined the characteristics of a blacktip reef shark Carcharhinus melanopterus population in turbid coastal habitats through a multi‐year fishery‐independent sampling and tag–recapture programme. Results revealed a highly structured population comprised almost entirely of juveniles and adult females with individuals between 850 and 1050 mm total length effectively absent. Mature males were also rarely encountered with adult sex ratio highly biased towards females (female:male = 7:1). Mating scars were observed on adult females between December and April, and parturition was observed from December to March. Regression analysis showed that catch rates were significantly higher during the summer wet season between November and May. Recapture data suggested a highly resident population with a recapture rate of 21% and a mean recapture distance of 0·8 km. In addition, 33% of recaptured animals were captured multiple times, indicating long‐term residency. Most recaptures were, however, of adults with few juveniles recaptured. Widespread sampling at the study site and in adjacent areas suggested that the population was highly localized to a specific bay. The bimodal and sex‐segregated population structure observed here differs from previous reports for this species, and in combination with reproductive observations, suggests population structuring to facilitate reproductive and recruitment success. These data also highlight the potential ecosystem functions performed by coastal habitats in sustaining C. melanopterus populations.     

The Relationship between Red Cod, Pseudophycis Bachus, Recruitment and Environmental Variables in New Zealand

This paper examines the relationship between red cod, Pseudophycis bachus, recruitment and selected environmental variables. Commercial catch data of red cod were used as indices of relative recruitment strength for New Zealand fish stocks (east coast South Island, RCO 3; west coast South Island, RCO 7). Analysis of catch per unit effort (CPUE) supports the assumption that fluctuations in commercial catches reflect changes in abundance resulting from variable recruitment. Catch was assessed against 34 environmental variables that included the Southern Oscillation index, sea surface temperature, weather types, wind speed and direction, and river flows. Lagged correlations were calculated between annual commercial catch and averaged environmental data. Variables most strongly correlated with commercial catch were included in regression analyses. Regression models were calculated using all available data in its raw form, and after application of a logarithmic transformation. Robustness, and forecast skill was tested using a repeated leave-one-out procedure. The strongest correlations between commercial catch and explanatory variables for both RCO 3 and RCO 7 were consistently with sea surface temperature over a wide range of time lags followed by frequencies of southwest and northeast flow patterns. The correlations generally operated in the sense that colder is better: negative correlations (–0.75) with sea surface temperature, positive with the occurrence of cool southwest weather types, negative with the occurrence of warm northeast weather types. The maximum magnitude of the correlation occurs at 14-month lag for both fisheries, corresponding to the late spring/summer of the year prior to the catch year. There were often secondary maxima in the magnitude of the correlations two or three years prior to the catch year. The commercial fishery is made up largely of two and three-year-old fish, implying that juvenile fish (age one year) are most sensitive to environmental conditions, but egg, embryo and larva periods may also be affected. Regression analyses suggest that two-predictor regressions were unstable, with often large decreases in explained variance when applied to the independent years, however, at the lags when relationships are strongest (around 14 months), the explained variance on the left-out years remains high. Fluctuations in red cod landings are dependent on sea surface temperature, controlled largely by climatic variability, including El Niño and La Niña events. For short-lived species such as red cod, fluctuations in annual landings are commonplace and analyses of environmental data may be useful in predicting catches in subsequent years.     

Frequency of occurrence of fungi on wood in Malaysian mangroves

Over one hundred fungi have been reported on mangrove wood (Hyde and Jones, 1988; Jones and Kuthubutheen, 1989; Hyde and Jones, unpublished) from tropical and subtropical locations. A variety of factors affect the frequency of occurrence of these fungi, e.g . salinity, length of exposure of substrate, wood species and location within the mangrove. Two aspects are addressed in this paper: a) Comparison of the fungi present at three mangroves in Malaysia (Morib, Kuala Selangor, Port Dickson); and b) The fungi colonising specific mangrove wood, e.g. Avecennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza. Species diversity was greatest at Port Dickson with 63 fungi recorded while species composition varied from site to site. Common fungi at Morib and Kuala Selangor were Halocyphina villosa and Leptosphaeria australiensis along with Kallichroma tethys and Lulworthia grandispora at the latter site. None of these were common at Port Dickson, the dominant species at this site were Hypoxylon oceanicum and Massarina ramunculicola. A comparison of the fungi occurring on Avicennia marina and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza indicated that Halocyphina villosa was common on both timbers. Species diversity and abundance were greatest on Avicennia with the following fungi listed as common: Eutypa sp., Kallichroma tethys, Marinosphaera mangrovei, Phoma sp. and Julelia avicenniae.     

Within‐lake distribution patterns of fish assemblages: the relative roles of spatial,temporal and random environmental factors in assessing fish assemblages using gillnets in a large and shallow temperate lake

In this study, the relative role of spatio‐temporal factors and associated environmental variables (water transparency and temperature) were quantified in relation to gillnet samples of fishes in a large and shallow lake (Lake Balaton, Hungary). Most of the variance (56·1%) in the relative abundance data (%) was related to the vertical segregation of fishes. This gradient substantially affected the catch per unit effort (CPUE) by number of the dominant species, the surface‐oriented bleak Alburnus alburnus and the benthic common bream Abramis brama. It also influenced total CPUE, mean fish mass and species richness and diversity. At the lake level, horizontal habitat heterogeneity (i.e. littoral v. offshore) accounted for only 8·3% of the total variance in relative abundance data, but was important in structuring the CPUE of the ruffe Gymnocephalus cernua and the pikeperch Sander lucioperca. The longitudinal environmental gradient (i.e. lake basin), year and season of sampling, water transparency and temperature had significant effects on relative abundance only at the habitat level, but were also important components of variability of CPUE in some species at the lake level. As sampling schemes need to consider the main gradients in fish assemblage distributions, the use of surface and pelagic gillnets should be more intensively incorporated in the study and monitoring of fish assemblages in shallow lakes and lake habitats.     

Time series analysis of climate‐related factors and their impact on a red‐listed noble crayfish population in northern Sweden

1. Global climate change is predicted to raise water temperatures and alter flow regimes in northern river systems. Climate‐related factors might have profound impacts on survival, reproduction and distribution of freshwater species such as red‐listed noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) in its northern limit of distribution. 2. In this study, noble crayfish capture data over 27 years from the River Ljungan, Sweden, were examined. Time series of catch per unit effort (CPUE) were analysed in relation to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index, regional weather factors and water flow. CPUE was assumed to reflect differences in population size. Two models were constructed to explore the relative impact of different climate factors and density dependence on variability of catch sizes. 3. The most parsimonious model for CPUE time series, explaining 72% of the variance in CPUE, included density‐dependent population dynamics of the crayfish and climate or weather factors. The specific effect from density dependence in the model was 37%, while climate/weather factors contributed with 35% of the variation. The most important climate/weather factors are variations in NAO index and water flow. Temperature did not improve the model fit to capture data. 4. The best model was evaluated using independent data sets that gave correlations between model predictions and data ranging from 0.44 to 0.53. The density dependence shows a time lag of 1 year, while climate variables show time lags from 2 to 6 years in relation to CPUE, indicating effects on different cohorts of the crayfish population. 5. Both density dependence and climatic factors play a significant role in population fluctuations of noble crayfish. A 6‐year time lag for NAO index is puzzling but indicates that some as yet unidentified factors related to NAO might act on the juvenile stages of the population. Water flow shows a 2‐year lag to the CPUE, and high flow in the river may affect adult survival. The reasons for fluctuation of crayfish catches in response to climate need to be identified, and fishing quotas should consider the different cohort sizes because of variation in environment. Reintroduction programmes for crayfish need to consider effects of climate change when designing management strategies.     

Predicting variability in catch-per-effort in Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, trap and gillnet fisheries

The relationships between catch rates and fish abundance, hydrographic conditions and fishing effort, for Atlantic cod caught by trapnets (fixed gear) and gillnets (non-fixed gear) in the northern Gulf of St Lawrence have been quantified. Daily changes in trap catch rates were accounted for by changes in salinity, currents and mean local cod densities in 1985 ( R ²= 0.78), and predicted 1986 trap catch rate changes (by 1985 model) were correlated significantly with those observed ( r = 0.60, P < 0.05). In contrast, the daily changes in 1985 gillnet catch rates were determined by currents, maximum (not mean) local cod densities, and fishing effort (negative) ( R ²= 0.68), while predicted 1986 gillnet catch rates (by 1985 model) were significantly correlated with those observed ( r = 0.35, P < 0.05). Seasonal catchability coefficients of the traps were similar in 1985 and 1986, but for gillnets this index was an order of magnitude higher in 1986 than in 1985.     

Environmental factors influencing liana community diversity,structure and habitat associations in a tropical hill forest,Malaysia

Background: Although lianas are important in forest ecosystems, information on the environmental factors influencing their diversity, structure and habitat associations is scanty.

Aims: This study had the aim of determining variation in liana diversity, structure and habitat associations across different topographic habitats, and the environmental factors influencing them, in the Penang Hill Forest Reserve, Malaysia.

Methods: Liana diversity, structure and habitat associations were examined in 30 plots, 40 m × 40 m, randomly demarcated within three topographic habitats (flatland, slope and valley). The physico-chemical properties of the soils in the plots were determined and the altitude and slope of the plots recorded.

Results: Liana species richness, diversity and structure varied significantly among the topographic habitats. Liana species richness, diversity and abundance variations were related to soil moisture, phosphorus content, pH and altitude, whereas liana diameter and basal area were associated with soil magnesium and slope. A total of eight species had a positive association with the habitat and a further six showed a negative association. Four species had a positive association with the flatland habitat, but only three and two species, respectively, with slope and valley habitats. The slope habitat gave the highest number of species that showed a negative association.

Conclusions: Liana diversity and structure varied between habitats. Some liana species showed different associations with specific habitats. Environmental variables were identified that influence liana diversity, structure and habitat associations. The study provides important information about the factors influencing liana success, and these will be of value in liana conservation and management in tropical forests.     

The distribution of coastal fish eDNA sequences in the Anthropocene

Aim

Coastal fishes have a fundamental role in marine ecosystem functioning and contributions to people, but face increasing threats due to climate change, habitat degradation and overexploitation. The extent to which human pressures are impacting coastal fish biodiversity in comparison with geographic and environmental factors at large spatial scale is still under scrutiny. Here, we took advantage of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to investigate the relationship between fish biodiversity, including taxonomic and genetic components, and environmental but also socio-economic factors.

Location

Tropical, temperate and polar coastal areas.

Time period

Present day.

Major taxa studied

Marine fishes.

Methods

We analysed fish eDNA in 263 stations (samples) in 68 sites distributed across polar, temperate and tropical regions. We modelled the effect of environmental, geographic and socio-economic factors on α- and β-diversity. We then computed the partial effect of each factor on several fish biodiversity components using taxonomic molecular units (MOTU) and genetic sequences. We also investigated the relationship between fish genetic α- and β-diversity measured from our barcodes, and phylogenetic but also functional diversity.

Results

We show that fish eDNA MOTU and sequence α- and β-diversity have the strongest correlation with environmental factors on coastal ecosystems worldwide. However, our models also reveal a negative correlation between biodiversity and human dependence on marine ecosystems. In areas with high dependence, diversity of all fish, cryptobenthic fish and large fish MOTUs declined steeply. Finally, we show that a sequence diversity index, accounting for genetic distance between pairs of MOTUs, within and between communities, is a reliable proxy of phylogenetic and functional diversity.

Main conclusions

Together, our results demonstrate that short eDNA sequences can be used to assess climate and direct human impacts on marine biodiversity at large scale in the Anthropocene and can further be extended to investigate biodiversity in its phylogenetic and functional dimensions.     

Environmental factors influencing the occurrence of freshwater snails in woodland water bodies

Studies were carried out in eight woodland water bodies that are situated in an urbanised area of Southern Poland (Upper Silesia). The aim of this study was to determine the influence of auto- and allochthonous plant detritus and exposure to sunlight on the structure of snail communities in woodland ponds. Among some physico-chemical water parameters, pH influenced the occurrence of snails, whereas sunlight caused an increase in diversity of the snail communities. In the total snail collection, 72.1% of specimens were gathered in sun-exposed sites. By the same degree of insolation more preferred by snails were the sites with allochthonic detritus. The snail fauna of subsidence ponds located inside a forest area differs from those occurring in urban agglomerations. The most conspicuous difference is the high numbers in three woodland ponds of Hippeutis complanatus (L.), which is rare in this area.     

基于eDNA metabarcoding探究北京市主要河流鱼类分布及影响因素

使用eDNA宏条形码(eDNA metabarcoding)和地笼法检测了北京市3条水系在夏季和秋季两个季节的鱼类多样性, 旨在研究北京市鱼类群落的空间格局特征, 探索适用于北京鱼类生物多样性监测及保护的新方法。结果表明: 在北京市的34个采样点中, 利用eDNA metabarcoding共检测出鱼类55种, 显著高于传统方法所捕获的鱼类种数(35种), 鱼类组成以鲤形目和鲈形目为主。山区河流清水鱼的多样性要显著高于城区河流, 城区河流(北运河水系)群落结构较为单一, 以鲫(Carassius auratus)、麦穗鱼(Pseudorasbora parva)、泥鳅(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)等耐污种为优势种; 山区河流(潮白河水系及大清河水系)以宽鳍鱲(Zacco platypus)、拉氏鱥(Rhynchocypris lagowskii)、马口鱼(Opsariichthys uncirostris)等为优势种。不同季节影响清水鱼群落结构的环境因子不同, 夏季主要是总溶解固体和电导率, 秋季主要是海拔和温度。清水鱼丰富度与环境因子及人类活动的相关性表明, 清水鱼的丰富度随着总溶解固体及灯光指数增加而显著降低, 且均与海拔、温度等存在显著相关性。本研究证明了eDNA metabarcoding方法用于监测北京市鱼类多样性及其时空分布的可行性。     

滇中高原湖泊鱼类多样性的研究

依据历年馆藏的鱼类标本和资料,采用多元逐步回归与多项式逐步回归的分析方法,系统分析了滇中6个高原湖泊鱼类的物种丰度、特有种以及属的数目与7个主要湖泊环境因子之间的关系。分析结果显示,控制湖泊鱼类物种丰度、特有种数和属数的关键湖泊环境因子是湖泊面积和湖岸线长度;其中与湖泊面积呈显著正相关,而与湖岸线长度呈负相关。分析不停留于这一常规的横向比较,而是从历史生物地理学的角度,更深入一步揭示了滇中6个湖泊鱼类多样性的演化实质上是受湖泊的发育阶段所控制的。     

Environmental factors influencing bird species diversity in Kenya

Sustainable resource management requires understanding the factors that increase or decrease species richness. Regional species richness patterns may be predicted by analysing patterns of variation in the environment. A number of studies have shown that bird species richness at a regional scale is influenced by climatic variables. We examined environmental correlates of bird species richness at a quarter degree square scale (55 × 55 km). Mean annual potential evapotranspiration accounts for 46% of the observed variation in species richness, while mean annual temperature and range annual potential evapotranspiration are significantly correlated with species richness and together account for a further 5% of the observed variation. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that environmentally available energy limits regional species richness.     

Temporal patterns in a fish assemblage of a semiarid mangrove zone in Madagascar

Gillnet sampling was conducted for a year in a tropical mangrove creek (SW Madagascar), characterized by a limited freshwater influence, a high turbidity and a tidal range up to 3 m. Sixty species of juvenile fishes were caught, 44 species being of commercial interest. Catches were dominated by Gerreidae (27% of total abundance), Teraponidae (16%), Carangidae (13%) and Sparidae (12%). The temporary resident fishes in the mangrove zone represented 50% of the species and 97% of the total abundance, the other species being rare (less than five individuals). The species richness, abundance and biomass per netting were low in the middle of the cool season (July-August). Monthly changes in the fish assemblage were particularly complex, with three species groups displaying a clear seasonal pattern, some species succeeding one another in a rather unstructured way, and three species abundant throughout the year. There was no clear structuring effect of temperature, salinity and turbidity on the fish assemblage. However, tidal, lunar and diel effects on the composition of the fish assemblage were evident. The species overlap between the Sarodrano mangrove fauna and the adjacent coral reef fauna is particularly weak with six species in common and shows that the mangrove plays only a very limited nursery role for coral reef species.     

Environmental factors influencing the seasonality of estrus in chimpanzees

Although the energetics of the estrous cycle in primates is not well understood, evidence suggests that energy and nutrient acquisition influence ovulation and the timing of conception. Energy for estrus has to compete with energy allocated for cellular maintenance, thermoregulation, movement for food, and predation avoidance. While some chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) populations do not have a seasonal birth period, evidence suggests that there is seasonality in the number of estrous females. Similarly, the onset of postpartum cycles has been reported to be seasonal. We used 33 months of data from the Taï National Park, Côte dIvoire, to examine how the number of estrous females in a given month was influenced by the abundance and distribution of food, diet, rainfall and temperature. In a second analysis, we examined if there was a seasonal effect on first estrous swellings in adolescent females and postpartum adult females. Results demonstrated that the number of females in estrous in a given month was positively related to food abundance and percent foraging time spent eating insects, and negatively related to mean rainfall in the two preceding months and the mean high temperature. The timing of first estrous swellings of postpartum females and prepartum young females was positively related to the food abundance, and negatively related to mean high temperature. These results showed that environmental conditions can seasonally limit the energetically demanding estrus cycle. The presence of estrous females increases gregariousness in chimpanzee communities, and this study identified environmental factors that affect estrus directly and hence social grouping indirectly.     

Foraminifera,Environmental Bioindicators in the Highly Impacted Environments of the Mekong Delta

Foraminiferal assemblages has been studied in three regions of the Mekong Delta subjected to different environmental characteristics: the Tra Vinh province, in the middle part of the Delta, under high freshwater influence; the Ca Mau peninsula, to the south, under maximum marine influence; and the Can Gio region, in the northern part of the Delta, with intermediate conditions. Intensive Rice–Shrimp Farming System is developing in these regions. Foraminiferal assemblages show the prevalence of the Mekong’s water pressure. Marine influence is strong only at a few stations along the shoreline, mainly in the Can Gio region. The rarity of allochthonous coastal species, in all the samples except one, suggests that up-river transport and settlement of foraminifera and sediment is significant only in the major channels. On a local level, foraminiferal assemblages provide a variety of information on environmental conditions. In a tidal channel of the Tra Vinh province, they suggest that lower reaches are more impacted by pollution than upper reaches; in the Ca Mau peninsula, under marine influence, low density and dominance of agglutinated species indicate the impact of deforestation and extension of acid sulfate soils; in shrimp pools, foraminifera may be used as indicators of the degradation of local conditions, in relation with accumulation of organic matter. The distribution of foraminiferal assemblages described in this study should be used as part of a reference point for further observations with a view to assessing environmental impacts of increasing human activities and/or climatic change.