Environmental factors structuring fish composition and assemblages in a small macrotidal estuary (eastern English Channel)

Selleslagh, Jonathan; Amara, Rachid

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2008.05.006

Cited by 142 publications

(131 citation statements)

References 52 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

104

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Estuarine species had higher relative abundances in winter in both high-and low-tide conditions. A similar seasonal pattern was observed for estuarine resident species in the other studies in different European estuaries (Blaber and Blaber 1980, Pombo et al 2007, França et al 2008, Selleslagh and Amara 2008. This seasonal pattern allows the use of the mudflats of the Sundarbans to be considered as contributors to the support of coastal fish populations because they contain temporary habitats that provide shelter and feeding grounds to the critical life stages (Cardoso et al 2011) of many species.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

Seasonal dynamics of fish assemblages in an intertidal mudflat of Indian Sundarbans

Chaudhuri¹,

Mukherjee²,

Homechaudhuri³

2013

Sci. Mar.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

SUMMARY: In the present study, the seasonal and inter-annual fish assemblage structure of intertidal mudflats of Indian Sundarbans was analysed during tidal cycles. A total of 31 fish species belonging to 22 families and 9 orders were collected during high tide, whereas only 12 were recorded during low tide. Fish assemblage descriptions were based on several community descriptors, namely diversity (H′), species richness (S), species dominance (D), and species evenness (J) and on an ecological guild classification. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was performed to evaluate the relationship between estuarine habitat and fish assemblages in the mudflat habitat during inundated and exposed conditions. All the diversity indices showed marked seasonal and inter-annual variations. Temporal variations were also found in fish assemblage structure in both tidal conditions. Estuarine species were the most important ecological guild of the mudflats during both high and low tides. Of all the abiotic variables examined, CCA showed that salinity, pH and nutrients were the most important influencing fish assemblage during high tide. Total dissolved solids, water temperature and salinity were significant during low tide. Considering the importance of mudflats in supporting fish diversity, the present study emphasizes the increased efforts for conservation of this habitat in the Indian Sundarbans.Keywords: ichthyofaunal diversity, seasonal variation, tidal variation, mudflats, Bray-Curtis similarity, CCA. RESUMEN: Dinámica estacional De comuniDaDes De peces en una marisma intermareal De sunDarbans inDio. -En el presente estudio, la estructura estacional e interanual de comunidades de peces en el intermareal fangoso de Sundarbans se analizó durante ciclos de marea. 31 especies pertenecientes a 22 familias y 9 órdenes fueron recogidas durante la marea alta, mientras que sólo 12 se registraron durante la marea baja. Las comunidades se describieron varios descriptores: diversidad (H′), riqueza de especies (S), dominancia de especies (D) y uniformidad de especies (J) y una clasificación ecológica de comunidad. Se realizó un análisis de correspondencia canónico (CCA) para evaluar la relación entre hábitat estuárico y comunidades de peces durante condiciones inundadas y expuestas. Todos los índices de diversidad mostraron marcadas diferencias estacionales e interanuales. También se encontraron variaciones temporales en la estructura del conjunto de peces en tanto las condiciones de la marea. Especies estuarinas (ES) fue el grupo ecológico más importante de las marismas de Sundarbans tanto durante la marea alta como en la baja.Palabras clave: diversidad íctica, variación estacional, variación de marea, marismas, similitud de Bray-Curtis, CCA. Scientia Marina 77(2)

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

Seasonal dynamics of fish assemblages in an intertidal mudflat of Indian Sundarbans

Chaudhuri¹,

Mukherjee²,

Homechaudhuri³

2013

Sci. Mar.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…We included the variables water temperature (T water ), salinity (S), and SPM; parameters that were assumed to have a direct impact on fish species composition and community structure (Selleslagh & Amara 2008, Pasquaud et al 2012. Samples were collected monthly from March to November (1 m below the water surface and 1 m above the bottom, at 3 h intervals during the tidal 1985 and 2014 were regularized using linear methods to fill in missing data, and de-seasonalised using the above described method (Table 1).…”

Section: Physico-chemical Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Abrupt shifts in the Gironde fish community: an indicator of ecological changes in an estuarine ecosystem

Chevillot¹,

Pierre²,

Rigaud³

et al. 2016

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For decades, global climate change has directly and indirectly affected the structure and function of ecosystems. Abrupt changes in biodiversity have been observed in response to linear or sudden modifications to the environment. These abrupt shifts can cause long-term reorganizations within ecosystems, with communities exhibiting new functional responses to environmental factors. Over the last 3 decades, the Gironde estuary in southwest France has experienced 2 abrupt shifts in both the physical and chemical environments and the pelagic community. Rather than describing these shifts and their origins, we focused on the 3 inter-shift periods, describing the structure of the fish community and its relationship with the environment during these periods. We described fish biodiversity using a limited set of descriptors, taking into account both species composition and relative species abundances. Inter-shift ecosystem states were defined based on the relationship between this description and the hydro-physico-chemical variables and climatic indices defining the main features of the environment. This relationship was described using generalized linear mixed models on the entire time series and for each inter-shift period. Our results indicate that (1) the fish community structure has been significantly modified, (2) environmental drivers influencing fish diversity have changed during these 3 periods, and (3) the fish−environment relationships have been modified over time. From this, we conclude a regime shift has occurred in the Gironde estuary. We also highlight that anthropogenic influences have increased, which re-emphasizes the importance of local management in maintaining fish diversity and associated goods and services within the context of climate change.

show abstract

“…As the majority of the lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been isolated from the main channel of the river, this connected river-lake system provides essential habitats for potadromous fishes (Cui & Li, 2005). The down-end of the lower reach outputs into the estuary and is partly influenced by tidal intrusion, which induces changes in the physical and chemical characteristics of the water and could affect the structure and abundance of fish assemblages (Selleslagh & Amara, 2008;Bastos et al, 2014). Thus, we hypothesized that river-lake connectivity and tidal intrusion may play a crucial role in regulating the distribution patterns of larval fish in the lower reach of the Yangtze River.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The spatial pattern of larval fish assemblages in the lower reach of the Yangtze River: potential influences of river–lake connectivity and tidal intrusion

Ren

Song

et al. 2015

Hydrobiologia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Landscape pattern plays an important role in structuring of larval fish assemblages in large river basins. The lower reach of the Yangtze River includes the river section from the mouth of Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, downward to the estuary. We hypothesized that river-lake connectivity at the upstream portion and tidal intrusion at the downstream portion are significant drivers of larval fish assemblages. Larval fish were collected monthly from April 2012 through September 2013 in three locations at Anqing (AQ), Nanjing (NJ), and Jingjiang (JJ). Fifty-six taxa of larval fish were identified with 52 of them determined of species. Larval fish were highly abundant from April through August; the number of species and the abundance were much higher at AQ than at NJ and JJ; the bloom of larval fish at JJ tended to be later than at NJ and AQ. We suggest that the larger number of species and higher abundance of larval fish at AQ reflect the effects of the connectivity of Poyang Lake with the river upstream of AQ, and the delayed bloom of larval fish and the occurrence of estuarine species at JJ reflect the influences of tidal intrusion from the estuary.

show abstract

Environmental factors structuring fish composition and assemblages in a small macrotidal estuary (eastern English Channel)

Cited by 142 publications

References 52 publications

Seasonal dynamics of fish assemblages in an intertidal mudflat of Indian Sundarbans

Seasonal dynamics of fish assemblages in an intertidal mudflat of Indian Sundarbans

Abrupt shifts in the Gironde fish community: an indicator of ecological changes in an estuarine ecosystem

The spatial pattern of larval fish assemblages in the lower reach of the Yangtze River: potential influences of river–lake connectivity and tidal intrusion

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About