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1.
Seagrass beds serve as nursery grounds for many fish species and often play an important role in the juvenile stages of economically and recreationally important fishes. The eelgrass Zostera capensis is the dominant submerged macrophyte in permanently open South African estuaries and occupies large intertidal and subtidal areas within the Knysna system. The primary objective of this study was to compare the occurrence of sparids and mugilids in eelgrass and nearby bare sediment areas using sampling with seine nets. The hypothesis that was tested is that mugilids are dominant in unvegetated areas of the Knysna Estuary littoral whereas sparids predominate within eelgrass beds located in the same zone. The results indicate that the family Mugilidae is better represented at unvegetated sites when compared to members of the family Sparidae, with the exception of Lithognathus lithognathus, but that the dominant three sparids and dominant two mugilids were most abundant in sparse eelgrass beds that included both bare and vegetated areas within this habitat type. The main fish species responsible for the separation of fish assemblages associated with unvegetated sites versus those associated with vegetated areas were Rhabdosargus holubi, Liza dumerili, Liza richardsonii, Lithognathus lithognathus, Sarpa salpa and Diplodus capensis, with R. holubi, S. salpa and D. capensis being mainly attracted to eelgrass habitats and L. dumerili, L. richardsonii and L. lithognathus having a stronger affinity for bare areas. This finding confirms a previous estuarine study in the nearby Swartvlei lake littoral, which found that sparids dominated areas where aquatic macrophytes were extensive and that mugilids became more prevalent at those same sites when the macrophytes underwent complete senescence. The length-frequency distributions of some sparid and mugilid species differed considerably between eelgrass and bare sediment areas, whereas those of other species showed little or no difference between these two habitat types.  相似文献   

2.
This study compares the fish assemblages of the permanently open cool-temperate Olifants and warm-temperate Breede estuaries on the west and south coasts of South Africa respectively, and their responses to altered freshwater flows. Both estuaries have experienced a >35% reduction in mean annual runoff (MAR) from a historical reference condition to the present day with a >60% reduction possible under future flow scenarios. With the exception of species that have both marine and estuarine breeding populations, the Olifants Estuary fish assemblage has experienced an overall 20% decrease in abundance from reference (pristine state) to the present day and will gradually decline to 55% of reference with a predicted future 60% reduction in MAR. Consequently, future reductions in flow are likely to result in the Olifants Estuary progressing towards a low biomass, low diversity, marine-dominated system. In contrast, reduced freshwater flows in the Breede Estuary are likely to experience an overall reduction in the abundance of species that breed only in estuaries, and in freshwater and catadromous species. Collectively, entirely estuarine-dependent fish will increase in abundance, but considered individually some important exploited species such as Argyrosomus japonicus and Pomadasys commersonnii will collapse to 50% of historical numbers once there has been a 64% reduction in MAR. Overall, fish abundance in the estuary has increased by 6% from reference to the present day and is likely to increase to 115% of reference with future reductions in flow. Some species with a preference for fresh and brackish water will be all but lost from the system, but overall diversity is likely to increase with the range expansion of warm-temperate and subtropical marine species westward. In all, the fish assemblage of the Breede Estuary will experience a gradual change from a relatively high-diversity, low-abundance, freshwater rich system under historical flow conditions to a high diversity, high-abundance, marine-dominated system with future reductions in flow.  相似文献   

3.
Relationships between key fish taxa and various abiotic factors in South African estuaries have been examined. Of the physico-chemical parameters recorded, temperature and salinity appeared to be the main factors affecting the distribution and occurrence of estuarine fishes. Tropical estuarine-associated species appear to prefer warm, turbid, brackish water conditions with many species being largely restricted to subtropical estuaries. The decline in sea temperatures as well as upwelling events limits the dispersal of tropical species into warm-temperate estuaries. Some eurythermal tropical species, however, do extend into warm-temperate estuaries. Warm-temperate estuaries are characterised by cool, more saline waters with low turbidity and are dominated by endemic taxa. Some warm-water endemic species are common in both warm-temperate and subtropical estuaries but are generally not a major component of the fish community of cool-temperate estuaries. Other endemic species appear to prefer cooler waters and occur in both warm- and cool-temperate estuaries but are uncommon in subtropical systems. Temperate species also occur in warm-temperate systems but are generally absent from subtropical estuaries. Widespread or cosmopolitan species occur in all biogeographic regions.  相似文献   

4.
Eelgrass beds have been postulated to support different faunal communities from unvegetated sandflats, in part because of the stabilisation of sediments in eelgrass beds and their destabilisation in sandflats due to bioturbation. More specifically, eelgrass beds have been hypothesised to support disproportionately greater numbers of small, flexible and non-burrowing species, and bioturbated sandflats to support more large, hard-bodied burrowers. These concepts were tested in Langebaan Lagoon on the west coast of South Africa, where beds of the eelgrass Zostera capensis and sandflats dominated by Callianassa kraussi bioturbation are mutually exclusive. In eelgrass beds, sediment penetrability was significantly reduced compared to that in sandflats. Distinctly different faunal communities occurred in the two habitats, and the suite of species characteristic of each was consistent between years and between sites. Overall, density was higher in eelgrass beds than in sandflats. In contrast to previous studies, however, richness and diversity in sandflats were greater than, or equal to, values for eelgrass beds. There is convincing support for the hypothesis that burrowers are more prevalent in sandflats and less prevalent in eelgrass beds. Conversely, body flexibility does not differ between habitats and sizes are greater in the eelgrass beds than in the sandflats.  相似文献   

5.
Fish, epibenthos and macroinfauna were collected in a Zostera marina bed and nearby unvegetated sediments in the estuary of the Damariscotta River, on the mid-coast of Maine. Samples of epibenthic fauna and fish were collected at low tides both during day and night, and samples of infauna at low tides during the day. The mean density of Zostera shoots in the study area was 335 m−2. Abundance and species number of fish were greater at night than during the day and greater in eelgrass beds (Z. marina) than in unvegetated habitats. Daytime fish collections were dominated by Atlantic silversides (Medinia medinia), while juvenile winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus) dominated night collections. Also Zostera-associated epifaunal abundances and number of species were significantly higher at night than during the day. Mysis stenolepis, Idotea balthica and Littorina obtusata were dominant species in the epifauna samples. Of the total of 37 invertebrate species encountered, only five occurred both in the infaunal and epifaunal samples. Nineteen different taxa were collected from the benthic core samples. The most abundant invertebrate infaunal taxa were sipunculids, the polychaete Nereis virens, and oligochaetes. Infaunal invertebrate abundances and species diversity were significantly higher in eelgrass beds than in unvegetated sediments. The abundance and number of species of benthic invertebrates were also positively correlated to seagrass biomass. Community diversity values (H′) were relatively low but fit well in the general pattern of decreasing diversity towards northern latitudes.  相似文献   

6.
Understanding the level of connectivity between estuarine and coastal waters is essential for appropriate management of estuarine-associated taxa. Most studies have focused on the role of a single estuary, while limited research exists on the importance of multiple estuaries to individuals of estuarine-associated species. This study used acoustic telemetry to assess the usage of multiple estuaries and coastal waters by the estuarine-dependent spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii. Twenty-six adult fish were tagged with acoustic transmitters in the Kariega and Bushmans estuaries, South Africa, and their movements along a 300-km stretch of Indian Ocean coastline were monitored for up to 17 months. Tagged individuals spent most of their time in the estuary where they were tagged (55% and 85% for fish tagged in the two estuaries, respectively), followed by time in the sea (30% and 15%) and in other estuaries (15% and <1%). The mean durations of sea trips for fish tagged in the Kariega Estuary or Bushmans Estuary, respectively, were 25 days (range 3–55) and 12 days (range 2–22). Of the fish that went to sea, 93% from the Kariega Estuary and 60% from the Bushmans Estuary visited other estuaries. Most visits were undertaken to the Swartkops, Bushmans and Kowie estuaries, although the longest durations were spent in the Sundays Estuary. Individuals moved to estuaries up to 130 km away. The total distance travelled between estuaries by an individual during the study was ～529 km, with means of 201 and 184 km, respectively, for fish tagged in the Kariega and Bushmans estuaries. Despite covering large distances between estuaries, individuals often returned to their tagging estuary. Residency in their tagging estuary, combined with frequent visits to a neighbouring estuary, highlights the importance of estuarine habitats for this popular fish species, even after reaching maturity.  相似文献   

7.
Determining the nursery habitat of fishes that have moved from estuarine nursery habitats is difficult. The elemental fingerprints of otoliths of three species of sparids were determined to investigate their utility as a natural tag of the nursery habitat. Juvenile Pagrus auratus (snapper), Rhabdosargus sarba (tarwhine) and Acanthopagrus australis (bream) were collected from two sites in each of 15, six and three estuaries, respectively, and their otoliths analysed by solution-based inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Significant differences in otolith chemistry were found for all three species of juveniles collected from different estuaries. The same patterns among estuaries were not seen for all species, although it was not possible to sample the same sites within an estuary for all species. For bream, significant differences in otolith chemistry were found among all three estuaries, whereas for tarwhine the six estuaries were separated into three groups. For snapper, a number of estuaries could be separated, but there was some overlap for other estuaries. All three species were collected from the same site within one estuary and their otoliths analysed. Significant differences were found among species, but the implication of this finding remains unclear as the three species show differences in microhabitat use and may also differ in age. Because the elemental fingerprints of juveniles vary among estuaries or groups of estuaries, the nursery or recruitment estuary of adult fish could now be determined by analysing the juvenile region of adult otoliths. Thus, connectivity between estuaries and open coastal populations could be determined. Such information will have major implications for fisheries management because it will provide information on the distance that fish have moved from their recruitment estuary and the number of estuaries that contribute to each adult population.  相似文献   

8.
Freshwater inflow has a strong impact on the biological, chemical and physical characteristics of estuaries, which in turn affect the distribution and abundance of estuarine organisms. Increased climatic variability associated with climate change is predicated to modify precipitation patterns, which will likely intensify floods in estuaries. The demersal fish assemblage of the freshwater-dominated Great Fish Estuary, South Africa, was sampled using beam trawls, monthly, from December 2013 to November 2014. The first six months of the study were characterised by river flooding and high flow, with estuarine conditions found only in the mouth region; this was followed by six months of intermediate flow, with estuarine conditions recorded up to 10 km from the mouth. River flooding and subsequent reduced salinity resulted in a decrease in species richness and abundances of fishes in the estuary, with only two estuarine species (Glossogobius callidus and Psammogobius knysnaensis) and one marine migrant (Solea turbynei) recorded following river flooding (201 m3 s?1), in January 2014. The greatest species richness and abundances among both marine and estuarine fishes were recorded during intermediate flow conditions. We conclude that although freshwater inflow into estuaries is important for the nursery function of these systems, flooding—especially in freshwater-dominated estuaries—may cause a temporary decline in the abundance of most marine and estuarine fish species, including important bentho-pelagic marine migrant fishery species, such as Argyrosomus japonicus and Pomadasys commersonnii.  相似文献   

9.
Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C, δ1?N) were used to analyse food web dynamics of two of the main estuaries of the Portuguese coast: Tejo and Mira. The ultimate sources of organic matter supporting production of some of the most abundant and commercially important fish species were determined; and seasonal, inter- and intra- estuarine differences in the trophic relations among producers and consumers were identified. Stable isotope analysis was performed in different producers, primary consumers (main prey items for fish) and fish species (Solea solea, Solea senegalensis, Pomatoschistus microps, Dicentrarchus labrax, Liza ramada, Diplodus vulgaris and Atherina presbyter) of two areas in each estuary, in July and October 2009. Model calculations showed that the main prey for the fish species in the Tejo estuary used mostly salt marsh-derived organic matter as nutritional sources, with no marked differences between the sampled months. Trophic levels of fish species from the same estuary differed at multiple scales: inter-species, seasonally and spatially (both between and within estuaries). Significant differences in isotopic composition of fish species were more pronounced spatially (between the two sampled areas in the estuary) than seasonally (between sampled months). Trophic relationships in both estuaries demonstrated that organic matter is transferred to higher trophic positions mainly through benthic pathways. This shows the flexibility of these species to share resources and to exploit temporary peaks in prey populations. The present results showed that extensive disturbance in intertidal habitats from both estuaries may potentially change the balance of organic matter in the base of these complex food webs.  相似文献   

10.
Spartina alterniflora Loisel., widely recognised as an aggressive invader of estuaries and salt marshes around the world, was discovered growing in the temporarily open/closed Great Brak Estuary on the southern Cape coast of South Africa in 2004. This is the first record of this invasive plant in Africa as well as its first occurrence in an estuary that closes to the sea. Plant traits and sediment characteristics were measured in 2009 and 2011 and found to be comparable to those reported elsewhere. Prior to the 2011 sampling, S. alterniflora stands had been flooded for almost eight months. As a result, sediment redox potential (?268 + 4 mV) was significantly lower in 2011. Sediments were mostly clay in 2009 (71 ± 0.01%) compared to a predominance of sand in 2011 (40 ± 0.02%). These differences were related to the artificial breaching of the estuary one month prior to sampling in March 2011. The grass currently occupies 1.1 ha in the salt marsh, sandflat and mudflat habitats of the estuary where its cover is expanding at a rate of 0.162 ha y?1. Individual stands numbered about 12 in 2006, but have increased to 24 in 2011. These stands are expanding laterally at 0.9 m y?1 although the long period of inundation during 2010 reduced this to 0.6 m y?1. Expansion is due to vegetative spread as an analysis of the sediment seed bank showed no S. alterniflora seeds and very few salt marsh seeds (1 132 seeds m?2). If left unchecked, S. alterniflora has the potential to replace 42.9 ha or 41% of the total estuary habitat in the Great Brak Estuary, but also has the potential to invade other estuaries in South Africa, especially those with extensive intertidal habitat and containing S. maritima (19 estuaries in total). This study illustrates the adaptive potential of this invasive marsh plant and indicates the possibility of invasion in seasonally closed estuaries in other locations around the world.  相似文献   

11.
A total of 248 roving creel surveys along the length of the Berg River Estuary, in the Western Cape, South Africa, recorded 626 shore-angler and 88 boat-angler outings over the period December 2002–November 2005. Catch-and-effort information was obtained from catch inspections with 360 handline and 246 rod-anglers. Average total annual linefishing effort was estimated at 449 ± 29 (mean ± SE) boat-angler days, 1 299 ± 118 recreational shore-angler days and 1 394 ± 57 subsistence (handline) shore-angler days. The estimated total shore-based linefish catch (excluding boat-based catches) from the estuary for the years 2004 and 2005 was 37 231 ± 1 326 fish and 26 938 ± 706 fish (approximately 8 t and 7 t) respectively. Compared with other estuaries along the South African east coast where angler catches have been surveyed, species diversity in catches from the cool-temperate Berg River Estuary was low, with only 15 species caught, of which three, elf Pomatomus saltatrix (56%), harder Liza richardsonii (31%) and carp Cyprinius carpio (11%), dominated the catch. Average linefish catch per unit effort of most species increased significantly in the two years subsequent to the closure of the long-existing commercial gillnet fishery in March 2003. Length frequency distributions revealed significant increases in the average size and an increased contribution of larger size class elf and harder to the linefish catch over the monitoring period, suggesting a degree of recovery of the estuarine icthyofauna after more than a century of intensive gillnet fishing.  相似文献   

12.
Habitat variability is one of the factors influencing species richness within estuarine systems, and a loss of habitat can result in a restructuring of the estuarine ichthyofaunal assemblage, particularly if these conditions persist over long time periods. The potential effects of the loss of extensive submerged macrophyte beds (Ruppia cirrhosa and Potamogeton pectinatus) on an estuarine fish assemblage were investigated through an analysis of a long-term seine net catch dataset from the temporarily open/closed East Kleinemonde Estuary, South Africa. Catch data for a 12-year period, encompassing six years of macrophyte presence and six years of macrophyte senescence, indicated that the loss of this habitat did not influence species richness but changes in the relative abundance of certain species were evident. A shift in dominance from vegetation-associated species to those associated with sandy environments (e.g. members of the family Mugilidae) was observed. However, species wholly dependent on macrophytes such as the critically endangered estuarine pipefish Syngnathus watermeyeri were only recorded during years when macrophyte beds were present, while vegetation-associated species such as the sparid Rhabdosargus holubi persisted at lower levels of relative abundance. The reduced abundance of all vegetation-associated fish species during years of macrophyte senescence was probably reflective of declining food resources resulting from the loss of macrophyte beds and/or increased vulnerability to predation. Submerged beds of aquatic plants are therefore important habitats within temporarily open/closed estuaries, South Africa’s dominant estuary type.  相似文献   

13.
Recruitment of early life stages into estuaries is an integral part of the life cycle of many marine fish species. Although estuaries are naturally environmentally dynamic, they also are subject to anthropogenic disturbances, including land use and climate change, which may affect recruitment. Rhabdosargus holubi is an endemic marine-spawning species predominantly associated with freshwater-rich estuaries which serve as nursery areas for postflexion larvae and juveniles. This study assessed the effect of environmental variables on the dynamics of recruitment of R. holubi larvae and juveniles into the Swartkops and Sundays estuaries, South Africa. Over a period of two years, fyke nets were set at each estuary mouth to monitor movement into the estuaries at each tidal phase over a 24 h cycle during two sampling sessions per season. Rhabdosargus holubi larvae recruited into estuaries primarily in summer and autumn and during the ebb tide at night, while juvenile movements showed no pattern. Salinity, turbidity and temperature were significantly important factors affecting R. holubi recruitment, with pH having no significant effect. Turbidity and salinity are affected by rainfall and freshwater abstraction which may thus influence recruitment. Rhabdosargus holubi is dependent on estuaries, so a combination of future changes in turbidity, salinity and temperature due to predicted climate change may place populations at risk.  相似文献   

14.
Callianassid sandprawns and eelgrasses have been postulated to have mutually negative effects on each other. The relationship between Callianassa kraussi and Zostera capensis was investigated in Langebaan Lagoon on the west coast of South Africa by correlative field surveys. Seven facts point to mutually antagonistic interactions between the species: (1) cover of Z. capensis was negatively correlated with density of C. kraussi; (2) Z. capensis was largely confined to the high shore, whereas C. kraussi occurred in unvegetated sandbanks below the eelgrass beds; (3) at sites where Z. capensis was absent, C. kraussi extended farther up the shore than in its presence; (4) C. kraussi reached a larger maximum size in sandbanks than in beds of Z. capensis; (5) immediately below eelgrass beds there was a 'frontier zone' where above-ground Z. capensis was absent but below-ground root-rhizomes appeared to exclude C. kraussi; (6) sediment penetrability was greater in sandbanks than in eelgrass beds; (7) rate of burrowing by C. kraussi was faster in unvegetated sandbanks than in eelgrass beds. Conversely, the density and sizes of the mudprawn Upogebia africana were greater in beds of Z. capensis than in sandflats dominated by C. kraussi. Although this evidence is correlative, it suggests that Z. capensis excludes C. kraussi because it stabilises the sediment and inhibits burrowing, and that C. kraussi prevents establishment of eelgrass beds by destabilising the sediment and suspending material that smothers the eelgrass. In the process, two distinct habitats are created. U. africana may benefit directly from eelgrass because it requires stable sediment for its semi-permanent U-tubes; but also indirectly because Z. capensis excludes C. kraussi, which may disrupt these feeding burrows. At the head of the lagoon where sediments are very fine and compact, U. africana occurs both in and below the eelgrass bed, and coexists with at least low densities of C. kraussi, although Z. capensis and C. kraussi are still negatively correlated.  相似文献   

15.
The ichthyofauna of the intermittently open Shellharbour Lagoon in southeastern Australia was sampled over 14 months to investigate factors influencing species composition. Zostera capricorni and bare sand habitats were sampled every two months with a fine-mesh seine. Of the 10 277 fish caught representing 19 families and 27 species, the most numerically dominant species were Pseudogobius olorum and Pseudomugil signifer. The most abundant economically important species were Acanthopagrus australis, Mugil cephalus and Myxus elongatus. Mean number of fish and species was significantly higher over Zostera than bare sand during months immediately after the estuary opened when juvenile marine fishes recruited, demonstrating the estuary's nursery function. In contrast to other intermittently open estuaries in Australia and South Africa, Shellharbour Lagoon's fish assemblage appears resilient to perturbation and does not undergo distinct seasonal variations. This may be a result of the estuary's short open phases providing less opportunity for marine fishes to enter. Perhaps more importantly, the less dramatic fluctuations in salinity between open and closed phases maintains salinity at a level intermediate of the tolerances of both marine and estuarine fishes.  相似文献   

16.
鳗草(ZosteramarinaL.)广布于北半球温带浅海海域,其形成的鳗草床具有重要的生态价值。近些年来,我国黄渤海海域鳗草退化严重,较大面积、连续分布的海草床已经非常少见。在渤海兴城-觉华岛海域发现较大面积的海草床,可以作为渤海沿海海草床的典型代表。基于此,2018年5月、9月、11月和2019年3月对该海草床进行了初步调查,探究了渤海兴城-觉华岛海草床鳗草种群补充等生态特征,分析了海草床生境的主要威胁,并提出了对海草床进行有效保护和科学管理的相关建议。结果表明:渤海兴城-觉华岛海草床总面积为791.61ha,海草种类为鳗草和日本鳗草(Z.japonica),以鳗草为优势种,日本鳗草极少且呈斑块状分布;鳗草生物量在2018年5月达到最大值(1241.22—1632.64g/m2);鳗草叶片碳、氮、磷元素含量分别为35.35%—36.57%、1.89%—3.35%、0.14%—0.48%;鳗草海草床以无性繁殖为主要补充方式,有性繁殖补充比例平均仅为1.92%,明显低于国内其他鳗草草床,具有鲜明的独特性;该海草床主要受围填海、捕蛤、围网捕鱼等人类活动的严重影响,并致使海草床边缘区域呈现斑块化趋势。建议对这片珍贵的海草床加以保护和修复。  相似文献   

17.
Although the recruitment of larvae and juveniles of marine fishes into estuaries has been well documented, little is known about the factors governing the immigration of estuary-associated marine fishes into estuaries. Fishes have a well-developed sense of smell and it has been suggested by several workers that olfactory cues of freshwater or estuarine origin serve as stimuli, attracting larvae and juveniles of estuary-associated species into estuaries. Attraction of postflexion Rhabdosargus holubi larvae to estuary and river water from the Kowie estuarine system, South Africa, was measured using a rectangular choice chamber. In experiments, conducted during peak recruitment periods, larvae selected estuary and river water with a significantly higher frequency than sea water. This study, the first to assess the possible role of olfaction in the recruitment process of an estuary-associated marine fish species, demonstrates that larvae are able to recognise water from different origins, probably based on odour.  相似文献   

18.
Successful aquaculture species are often chosen for their fast growth rates and fecundity, which are also characteristics of invasive species. The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, which constitutes 80% of global oyster trade, has been confirmed as invasive in 17 of the 66 countries where it is cultured. The single study of its status in South Africa reported populations in six South Coast estuaries in 2001, dropping to three sites in 2003. We resurveyed these estuaries, visited others in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces, and sampled oyster tissue for molecular analyses of population structure. Pacific oysters have disappeared from Knysna and, following our collections, possibly also from the GouKou Estuary. Between 2003 and 2012, the Breede Estuary population decreased by 87%, from an estimated 184 206 to 23 760 individuals. Within this estuary, oysters 12 km upriver had denser shells and higher body condition indices than did those within 1.4 km of the river mouth, presumably reflecting higher availability of suspended organic matter. However, low salinity over most of the species’ range in the estuary probably inhibits recruitment. New populations of Pacific oysters in the Swartkops and Kaaimans estuaries urgently require monitoring and eradication. Haplotype (h) and nucleotide (π) diversities across all oyster populations sampled (h = 0.2300 [SD 0.0595], π = 0.0006 [SD 0.0007]) were lower than those of co-occurring indigenous Cape rock oysters Striostrea margaritacea from the GouKou and Breede estuaries (h = 0.9076 [SD 0.0386], π = 0.00589 [SD 0.00347]). Pacific oysters either have been introduced to South African estuaries infrequently, or have experienced genetic bottlenecks following river floods or human exploitation, or both. Populations growing outside culture infrastructure are restricted to estuaries in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces, with no evidence of occurrence in fully marine shelf environments. Given the species’ considerable socio-economic importance, estuarine and coastal surveillance coupled with aquaculture zoning are required to integrate biodiversity and food security considerations.  相似文献   

19.
The structure and temporal variations of the fish community in salt marshes of Chinese estuaries are poorly understood. Fish utilization of a salt marsh intertidal creek in the Yangtze River estuary was studied based on quarterly sampling surveys in July and November, 2004, and February and May, 2005. Fishes were collected by consecutive day and night samplings using fyke nets during the ebbing spring tides. A total of 25,010 individuals were caught during the study. 17 families and 33 species were documented, and the most species-rich family was Gobiidae. Three species, Synechogobius ommaturus, Chelon haematocheilus and Lateolabrax maculatus together comprised 95.65% of the total catch, which were also the most important commercial fishery species in the Yangtze River estuary. The fish community was dominated by juvenile individuals of estuarine resident species. Time of year significantly affected fish use of salt marshes, but no significant effects of diel periodicity on the fish community were found except for fish sampling in July. These findings indicate that salt marshes in the Yangtze River estuary may play important nursery roles for fish community.  相似文献   

20.
The characteristics of the fish faunas in nearshore, shallow (<1.2 m) waters of the basins of estuaries along the same coastline, but which were open to the ocean for varying periods, have been determined and compared. The fish faunas of the permanently-open Oyster Harbour, the seasonally-open Broke, Irwin and Wilson inlets and the normally-closed Wellstead Estuary on the south coast of Western Australia were sampled by seine net seasonally for 2 years. Irrespective of the frequency and duration that the estuary mouth was open, the ichthyofauna of each estuary was numerically dominated by three atherinid species and three gobiid species (92.9–99.7%), each of which completes its life cycle within these estuaries. The ichthyofaunal compositions of each estuary differed significantly, however, from that of each other estuary. These differences were largely attributable to the relative abundances of the above six species varying between estuaries, which, in turn, reflected differences in such factors as estuary mouth status, macrophyte cover and salinity. For example, Favonigobius lateralis and Leptatherina presbyteroides, which are also represented by marine populations, were most abundant in the permanently-open estuary (Oyster Harbour), which, in terms of substrate and salinity, most closely resembled the nearshore marine environment. In contrast, Leptatherina wallacei made its greatest contribution in the only estuary to exhibit a protracted period of greatly reduced salinities, which is consistent with its distribution in permanently-open estuaries on the lower west coast of Australia, while Atherinosoma elongata and Pseudogobius olorum were particularly numerous in estuaries containing dense stands of the seagrass Ruppia megacarpa. Marine species made the greatest contribution to species richness in the permanently-open estuary and least in the normally-closed estuary. Species richness was greatest in summer and least in winter in each estuary, but differed markedly between years only in Wilson Inlet. Density of fishes was greatest in the most eutrophic estuary (Wellstead Estuary) and least in the most oligotrophic estuary (Broke Inlet) and only underwent marked seasonal variations in Wilson Inlet and Wellstead Estuary, in which densities fell to their minima in winter. Ichthyofaunal composition varied between years in the Broke and Wilson inlets and Wellstead Estuary, in which there was little or no connection with the ocean in one of those years. Species composition underwent progressive seasonal changes throughout the year in Wellstead Estuary, due to the abundance of certain species peaking at different times of the year.  相似文献   

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