Differences in fish assemblages in protected and non-protected freshwater streams in a tropical urbanized country

Kwik, Jeffrey T. B.; Yeo, Darren C. J.

doi:10.1007/s10750-015-2344-8

Cited by 19 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Unlike other studies that emphasise taxonomic richness and composition (e.g. Casatti et al, 2012; Kwik & Yeo, 2015), our findings are based on traits such as mouth position that are quantifiable and informative for most freshwater fish (Pease et al, 2012; Toussaint et al, 2016), and therefore represent pathways that are more widely applicable across sites with different taxonomic compositions (Mouillot et al, 2013; Shipley et al, 2016). As such, our trait‐based approach has important implications for freshwater biodiversity management at land‐use impacted streams.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

et al. 2020

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Land‐use change is a leading driver of biodiversity loss, especially in tropical fresh waters where the conversion of natural forest to monoculture plantations impacts freshwater fish assemblages. The environmental pathways underpinning shifts in fish assemblages, however, are poorly understood, but could potentially be inferred from trait–environment relationships. We addressed this knowledge gap using eco‐morphological traits to explain fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted streams of the Endau drainage in Peninsular Malaysia. We also investigated how traits relate to differences in environmental conditions associated with land‐use change. We then integrate findings from the above to test how potential pathways of land‐use driven environmental changes can impact species occurrences through effects on life history, feeding habits, and mobility. Mixed‐effects models show that fishes with superior (upward‐facing) mouths and low body mass were more likely to occur in oil palm streams than forest streams, and these traits were associated with grass‐dominated riparian zones and reduced woody debris in oil palm streams, respectively. Structural equation models show that mouth positions statistically mediated the effect of riparian vegetation on fish species occurrences in oil palm streams. Specifically, fishes with superior mouths were more likely to feed on terrestrial invertebrates. Our analysis of easily measurable traits revealed pathways of land‐use impact that are potentially more widely applicable than conventional taxa‐based approaches. Fishes with superior mouths tended to occur in oil palm streams as they were able to more effectively exploit inputs of terrestrial invertebrates that are potentially associated with grass‐dominated riparian vegetation. Moreover, shifts in traits may suggest land‐use driven changes in stream ecosystem functioning (e.g. in terms of the role of terrestrial subsidies), thereby informing targeted management actions in land‐use impacted habitats (e.g. retention/restoration of riparian trees).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

et al. 2020

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“…Although mosaics include commonly studied habitat types, here we test if new ecological metrics, properties, and insights emerge from examining these connected, interacting collections of juxtaposed habitat types. A second approach to organismal‐habitat relationships relates a range of habitat variables to organismal distribution and diversity at individual sites, often along equally spaced transects (Didham, Hammond, Lawton, Eggleton, & Stork, ; Kwik & Yeo, ; Stefanescu, Herrando, & Pẚramo, ). However, these spatially isolated, smaller‐scale data typically do not accurately predict patterns of biotic changes at larger scales or in response to major disturbances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying keystone habitats with a mosaic approach can improve biodiversity conservation in disturbed ecosystems

Hitchman

Mather

Smith

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

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Conserving native biodiversity in the face of human-and climate-related impacts is a challenging and globally important ecological problem that requires an understanding of spatially connected, organismal-habitat relationships. Globally, a suite of disturbances (e.g., agriculture, urbanization, climate change) degrades habitats and threatens biodiversity. A mosaic approach (in which connected, interacting collections of juxtaposed habitat patches are examined) provides a scientific foundation for addressing many disturbance-related, ecologically based conservation problems.For example, if specific habitat types disproportionately increase biodiversity, these keystones should be incorporated into research and management plans. Our sampling of fish biodiversity and aquatic habitat along ten 3-km sites within the Upper Neosho River subdrainage, KS, from June-August 2013 yielded three generalizable ecological insights. First, specific types of mesohabitat patches (i.e., pool, riffle, run, and glide) were physically distinct and created unique mosaics of mesohabitats that varied across sites. Second, species richness was higher in riffle mesohabitats when mesohabitat size reflected field availability. Furthermore, habitat mosaics that included more riffles had greater habitat diversity and more fish species. Thus, riffles (<5% of sampled area) acted as keystone habitats. Third, additional conceptual development, which we initiate here, can broaden the identification of keystone habitats across ecosystems and further operationalize this concept for research and conservation. Thus, adopting a mosaic approach can increase scientific understanding of organismal-habitat relationships, maintain natural biodiversity, advance spatial ecology, and facilitate effective conservation of native biodiversity in human-altered ecosystems.

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“…Something that might lead to a dramatic change in the fish community or in the availability of fish resources in the future could be the introduction or establishment of invasive alien species, which is generally more likely in human‐modified landscapes (Kwik & Yeo, ; Leprieur, Beauchard, Blanchet, Oberdorff, & Brosse, ). The Mozambique tilapia ( Oreochromis mossambicus ), for example, has been discovered breeding in one nearby stream running through an oil palm plantation in the local area (C. Wilkinson pers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The availability of freshwater fish resources is maintained across a land‐use gradient in Sabah, Borneo

Wilkinson

Yeo

Tan

et al. 2018

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Freshwater fish are a vital resource for local communities across the rural tropics. In Southeast Asia, biodiversity-rich forests are being logged and converted to extensive oil palm monocultures. This clearly has impacts on associated freshwater ecosystems, but the impact on their biodiversity remains largely understudied and poorly understood, despite the important provisioning service that freshwater fishes provide for human well-being.2. This study quantifies the biomass stocks of freshwater fish across a land-use gradient encompassing primary forest, twice-logged forest, and oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysia, in an area where local communities are known to harvest freshwater fish. Stream fish were sampled using a cast net, the dominant technique used by local fishermen, in 200-m-long transects in 16 streams over three sampling years (2011, 2013, and 2015).3. Unexpectedly, no impact from land use on total fish availability was detected.There were no significant differences in fish species richness or, most importantly, biomass per unit fishing effort across the land-use gradient. There was variation in the responses of five known food species (Tor tambra, Hampala sabana, Barbodes sealei, Barbonymus balleroides, and Gastromyzon lepidogaster), and these small differences are attributed to variation in species habitat selection that co-vary with landuse change.4. Despite evidence to suggest that freshwater fish communities are resilient to landuse change, they still face risks associated with disturbance, such as invasion by alien species; furthermore, several of the more stenotopic species were only present in primary forest catchments. Nonetheless, freshwater fish in small headwater streams appear to represent a sustainable food resource for villages established in human-modified forests or in developed oil palm plantations.

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Differences in fish assemblages in protected and non-protected freshwater streams in a tropical urbanized country

Cited by 19 publications

References 41 publications

Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

Morphological traits mediate fish occurrences in oil palm‐impacted tropical streams

Identifying keystone habitats with a mosaic approach can improve biodiversity conservation in disturbed ecosystems

The availability of freshwater fish resources is maintained across a land‐use gradient in Sabah, Borneo

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