scholarly journals Taking a deeper look: Quantifying the differences in fish assemblages between shallow and mesophotic temperate rocky reefs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Williams ◽  
Alan Jordan ◽  
David Harasti ◽  
Peter Davies ◽  
Tim Ingleton
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Rocky Reefs ◽  
Temperate Reefs ◽  
Video Systems ◽  
Parsimonious Model ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

AbstractThe spatial distribution of a species assemblage is often determined by habitat and climate. In the marine environment, depth can become an important factor as degrading light leads to changes in the biological habitat structure. To date, much of the focus of ecological fish research has been based on reefs in less than 40 m with little research on the ecological role of mesophotic reefs. We deployed baited remote underwater stereo video systems (stereo-BRUVS) on temperate reefs in two depth categories: shallow (20-40m) and mesophotic (80-120m), off Port Stephens, Australia. Sites were selected using data collected by swath acoustic sounder to ensure stereo-BRUVS were deployed on reef. The sounder also provided rugosity, slope and relief data for each stereo-BRUVS deployment. Multivariate analysis indicates that there are significant differences in the fish assemblages between shallow and mesophotic reefs, primarily driven by Ophthalmolepis lineolatus and Notolabrus gymnogenis only occurring on shallow reefs and schooling species of fish that were unique to each depth category: Atypichthys strigatus on shallow reefs and Centroberyx affinis on mesophotic reefs. While shallow reefs had a greater species richness and abundance of fish when compared to mesophotic reefs, mesophotic reefs hosted the same species richness of fishery targeted species. Chrysophrys auratus (pink snapper) and Nemodactylus douglassii (grey morwong) are two highly targeted species in this region. While C. auratus was numerically more abundant on shallow reefs, mesophotic reefs provide habitat for larger fish. In comparison, N. douglassii were evenly distributed across all sites sampled. Generalized linear models revealed that depth and habitat type provided the most parsimonious model for predicting the distribution of C. auratus, while habitat type alone best predicted the distribution of N. douglassii. These results demonstrate the importance of mesophotic reefs to fishery targeted species and therefore have implications for informing the management of these fishery resources on shelf rocky reefs.

scholarly journals Patterns of Species Richness and Abundance in Badingilo National Park in South Sudan

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Francis Lado ◽  
David Gwolo Phanuel Mogga ◽  
Richard Angelo Lado Benjamin
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
National Park ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Point Count ◽  
Number Of Species ◽  
Riverine Habitat ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Point Count Method

The study was carried out to determine patterns of birds’ species richness, alpha and beta diversities; and abundance in Badingilo national park using a 10 m fixed-radius point count method. A total of 2670 individuals were recorded from 182 points in the park. The highest expected number of species (Jack1 estimator) was observed in the Riverine habitat and least was in the Agriculture and Human settlement habitat type. The total number of species observed in the park was 63; however Jack1 estimator indicated that there were 68 species in the park. The majority of the birds observed during the study were resident species, few migratory and Palaearctic bird species. Few birds observed in the park were abundant. The most abundant species was the village weaver (381 individuals), and the rarest species were black-bellied bustard, barn owl, black scimitar bill and tree pipit (one individual each).

scholarly journals Structure of 0+ juvenile fish assemblages in the modified upper stretch of the River Elbe, Czech Republic 

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Valová ◽  
M. Janáč ◽  
J. Švanyga ◽  
P. Jurajda
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fish Assemblage ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Juvenile Fish ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Shannon Index ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
River Elbe ◽  
Nursery Habitats ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

In August 2007, the 0+ juvenile fish assemblage of the upper River Elbe was surveyed using electrofishing. Thirty-six localities were sampled along a 177 km long section between the towns of Verdek and Brandýs nad Labem (river km (RKM) 136–313). Four localities with natural riverbeds, 14 channelized stretches, nine beaches, and nine backwaters were sampled. Altogether, 4521 0+ juvenile fishes were caught, belonging to 26 species. A decrease in species richness and abundance was evident near Hradec Králové, while decreased species abundance was noted along the navigated stretch below Přelouč. The highest catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), species richness, and Shannon index values were observed at beach habitats, the lowest in channelized habitats, and intermediate values in backwaters. Generally, rare beach habitats had significantly more rheophilic species than other habitats, while backwaters had significantly more eurytopic species and higher CPUE for limnophilic species. Backwaters and channel habitats, however, did not differ in any other 0+ fish assemblage parameter studied. The study demonstrated the importance of beaches for fish assemblages along navigable channels. Surprisingly, however, backwaters were not confirmed as important nursery habitats.

scholarly journals Performance of a baited underwater video system vs. the underwater visual census technique in assessing the structure of fish assemblages in a Mediterranean marine protected area

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 480
Author(s):  
GABRIELLA LA MANNA ◽  
IVAN GUALA ◽  
DANIELE GRECH ◽  
FRANCESCO PERRETTI ◽  
FABIO RONCHETTI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
Underwater Video ◽  
Visual Census ◽  
Underwater Visual Census ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
High Level

Accurate, rapid and cost-effective fish assemblage monitoring is fundamental for marine protected area (MPA) management as a pivotal tool to verify whether and to what extent MPA conservation objectives have been achieved and to redefine these objectives in the framework of an adaptive management. Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of video-based methods to study fish fauna, such as baited remote underwater video (BRUV) systems, that, depending on the objectives of the monitoring, can provide complementary or additional data to the more commonly used underwater visual census (UVC). Even though BRUV systems have been widely used in a wide range of geographic contexts and habitats, their use in the Mediterranean basin is still sporadic and the evaluation of the efficiency of BRUV systems and whether they can be used to complement other techniques needs investigation. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the performance of a BRUV system in a Mediterranean MPA and to evaluate its effectiveness in assessing the structure of fish assemblages (abundance and species richness) by comparing estimates with those obtained by the UVC technique. The fish fauna were monitored by BRUV and UVC in the Capo Caccia – Isola Piana Marine Protected Area (Sardinia, Italy), in July and October-November 2020, at four sampling sites and two areas, hundreds of meters apart, for each site. Overall, 46 taxa and a total of 3620 individuals were observed by BRUV, while 36 taxa and a total of 2995 individuals were observed by UVC. The species first observed in front of the camera’s field of view and able to reach the maximum abundance were the planktivores (Chromis chromis and Oblada melanura) followed by several carnivorous species belonging to the families Labridae, Serranidae and Sparidae, and lastly two carnivores (Mullus surmuletus and Mugilidae spp.) and some high-level predators (Dentex dentex, Seriola dumerili, Sphyraena viridensis, Dicentrarchus labrax). The maximum species richness and abundance were reached between 39 and 50 min. The cumulative species richness increased until around 30 min. Species richness was higher during the BRUV compared to the UVC monitoring. The consistency in findings between BRUV and UVC and a better performance of BRUV in detecting some species (mainly high-level predators), supports BRUV as an additional technique for describing and quantifying species richness and abundance also in the Mediterranean Sea. Based on the results of this study, the advantages/disadvantages, shortcomings, suggestions and resources needed for the two techniques are outlined.

scholarly journals Typology of fish nurseries in shallow Mediterranean coastal zones: all habitats matter

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien Cheminée ◽  
Laurence Le Direach ◽  
Elodie Rouanet ◽  
Patrick Astruch ◽  
Adrien Goujard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Juvenile Fish ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Coastal Zones ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Abstract Coastal zones are ecosystems of high economic value but exposed to numerous disturbances, while they represent nurseries for many fish species, raising the issue of the preservation of their functions and services. In this context, the juvenile fish assemblages of all types of habitats present in shallow coastal zones were studied on the south-east coast of France using underwater visual censuses. The abiotic and biotic descriptors of the 14 habitat types individualized did not vary with time, except for a higher cover percentage and canopy height of macrophytes in the warm period, which increased the three-dimensional structure of some habitats. The taxonomic composition and density of juvenile fish assemblages were analyzed using both multivariate and univariate descriptors, after grouping the 57 fish species recorded into 41 well-individualized taxa. Juvenile fishes were recorded in all habitat types, with higher mean species richness and abundance during the warm than the cold period. The richest habitats in terms of both species richness and abundance were the natural rocky substrates and the interfaces between Posidonia beds and the other habitats. Although juvenile fish assemblages differed among habitat types and between periods, the most abundant fish species (Atherina sp., Sarpa salpa, Gobiidae, Symphodus spp., Pagellus spp. and several Diplodus species) colonized different habitat types (from 7 to 14) during their juvenile life. This study provided evidence of the role of all types of shallow coastal habitats as fish nurseries and their varying pattern of occupation in space and time by the different juvenile stages. It highlighted the importance of the mosaic of habitats and interfaces for the complete development of all juvenile life stages of fishes, and for the preservation of a high diversity of coastal fish assemblages and fisheries resources in the Mediterranean Sea.

scholarly journals Contrasting effects of altitude on species groups with different traits in a non-fragmented montane temperate forest

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 99-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarten de Groot ◽  
Al Vrezec
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Carabid Beetles ◽  
Dispersal Ability ◽  
Altitudinal Distribution ◽  
Mobile Species ◽  
Altitudinal Belts ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Temperature has strong effects on species composition and traits. These effects can differ within and between species groups. Thermoregulation and mobility are traits which can be strongly affected by altitudinal distribution. Our aim was to investigate the influence of altitude on the species richness, abundance and composition of species groups with different trophic, thermoregulatory and mobility traits. Carabids (Coleoptera; Carabidae), hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) and birds (Aves: Passeriformes) were counted in three altitudinal belts with a total elevation difference of 700 m (from 300 m to 1000 m a.s.l.) in the same habitat type (non-fragmented temperate montane mixed beech and fir forest). We found that endotherms and more mobile species (i.e. birds) had a smaller turnover than ectotherms (i.e. hoverflies) and less mobile species (i.e. carabids), from which we can predict that the former species will undergo a less extreme shift than the latter in global warming scenarios. Species turnover across the altitudinal gradient increased from birds to hoverflies to carabid beetles. The effect of altitude on phenology was different between the studied ectotherm species groups (carabids and hoverflies). Hoverflies experience a phenological delay of species richness and abundance at higher altitudes in spring, but not at the end of summer, which implies that hoverfly phenology is affected by a change in temperature, while carabid beetle abundance exhibited a delay in phenology in summer at higher altitudes. We suggest that species that are expected to be most affected by climate change, such as ectotherms and species with poor dispersal ability should be prioritised as the best indicators for monitoring and conservation management purposes.

scholarly journals Seascape connectivity exerts differing effects for fish assemblages in distinct habitats of the surf zones of ocean beaches

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (3) ◽  
pp. 1033-1042
Author(s):  
Jesse D Mosman ◽  
Christopher J Henderson ◽  
Andrew D Olds ◽  
Ben L Gilby ◽  
Thomas A Schlacher
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Indicator Species ◽  
Surf Zone ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Spatial Configuration ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Coastal Habitat ◽  
Rocky Reefs ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Management Approaches

Abstract Animals move throughout coastal seascapes to disperse, feed, and spawn, including the surf zones of ocean beaches. Yet, the influences of seascape context on surf-zone fish are largely unquantified. We sampled surf-zone fish assemblages with baited remote underwater video deployments at 25 beaches across 50 km of coastline in eastern Australia to determine if variation in the spatial configuration of broader coastal seascapes shapes fish assemblages in different surf-zone habitats. We show that surf zones are not homogenous fish habitats, with offshore bars and nearshore troughs having distinct fish assemblages, shaped by different environmental variables. Fish assemblages of offshore bars were characterized by greater species richness and a higher abundance of indicator species (as identified by Dufrene–Legendre indicator species analysis) when close to rocky reefs and estuaries. In contrast, fish assemblages of nearshore troughs were characterized by greater species richness and a higher abundance of indicator species when far from estuaries, and off wider beaches. Our results highlight the importance of seascape connectivity in structuring surf-zone fish assemblages. Consequently, management approaches need to more thoroughly quantify the effects of seascape connectivity over smaller spatial scales and consider surf zones as key components of broader coastal habitat mosaics.

scholarly journals Crustacean Decapod Assemblage Associated with Seagrass (Zostera marina) Beds in Southern Waters of Korea

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Joo Myun Park ◽  
Seok Nam Kwak ◽  
Ralf Riedel
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Zostera Marina ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Seagrass Beds ◽  
Diel Patterns ◽  
Palaemon Macrodactylus ◽  
Catch Rates ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
A Minor

Decapod assemblages in Zostera marina beds from two bays adjacent to unvegetated habitats were investigated to assess their influence on decapod assemblages. Thirty-eight decapod species belonging to four taxa were collected using a small beam trawl at four habitat types from two different locations off the coast of Namhae Island, South Korea. Dominant decapod taxon at all habitats was the caridean shrimps, with Eualus leptognathus, Heptacarpus pandaloides, Latreutes anoplonyx, La. Laminirostris, and Palaemon macrodactylus being the most abundant caridean species. Crabs were characterized with the highest biomass, but with moderate species richness and abundance. Penaeoid and sergestoid shrimps only accounted for <1% of the total decapod abundance. The number of species and their abundance of decapod assemblages varied greatly by habitat type, season, and diel patterns, but not diversity. Species number and abundance peaked in seagrass beds of southern exposed bays during the autumn and were lowest in unvegetated habitats during the summer months. Diel decapod catch rates were higher at night. Dense seagrass vegetation and nighttime supported higher decapod mean densities, but not species richness and diversity. Multivariate analyses revealed that habitat type and season significantly affected the structure of decapod assemblages, but diel patterns had a minor influence. Among decapod species, Pa. macrodactylus and Pugettia quadridens characterized the decapod assemblages in seagrass beds at the northern semi-closed bay, while Telmessus acutidens, Crangon affinis, Cr. hakodatei, Charybdis (Charybdis) japonica, and Portunus sanguinolentus were significantly associated with both vegetated and unvegetated habitats at the southern exposed bay, with the former two species more abundant during the colder season.

Floodplain amphibian abundance: responses to flooding and habitat type in Barmah Forest, Murray River, Australia

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather M. McGinness ◽  
Anthony D. Arthur ◽  
Keith A. Ward ◽  
Paula A. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Flood Frequency ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Seasonal Timing ◽  
Murray River ◽  
Frog Species ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance

Context Frog species are now targets for delivery of high-value managed environmental flows on floodplains. Information on the drivers of frog presence and abundance is required to support adaptive management, including analysis of the roles of flood frequency, flood timing and habitat type. Aims This paper describes frog species richness and abundance responses to flooding and habitat type in the Barmah Forest, part of the largest river red gum forest in the world. Methods Surveys were conducted at 22 sites over 6 years, to determine species presence, relative abundance, and evidence of breeding. Data were then used to examine temporal patterns within and between wet and dry years and spatial relationships with site geomorphology, vegetation form and wetting frequency. Key results Six species were common and widespread, and three were rare. The seasonal timing of peak numbers of calling males differed among species. The seasonal pattern of calling for each species did not differ between wet and dry years; however, significantly lower numbers of frogs were recorded calling in dry years. The number of frogs calling was significantly higher in well vegetated grassy wetlands. Evidence of a positive relationship between wetting frequency and numbers of calling males was found for Limnodynastes fletcheri, Crinia signifera and Limnodynastes dumerilii. The abundance of tadpoles was significantly higher in wet years. Conclusions The seasonal timing of flooding in Barmah Forest will influence the breeding success of individual species with different preferences. Flooding from September to December is required to cover most preferred breeding seasons, but longer durations may be required to maximise recruitment. This, together with regular flooding of well vegetated grassy wetland habitat, will increase the likelihood of species persistence and maximise diversity. Insufficient flooding frequency will result in reduced frog species richness and abundance. Implications Managed flooding is important for frog abundance and species richness. This study emphasises the value of key habitats such as well vegetated grassy wetlands and reinforces the need to make their preservation a priority for management. It has identified knowledge gaps to drive future data collection for improved modelling, including a need for further research on flow-regime change and frog communities.

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal variation of fish assemblages in a subtropical small stream of the Huangshan Mountain

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 670-677 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunzhi Yan ◽  
Shan He ◽  
Ling Chu ◽  
Xiuying Xiang ◽  
Yanju Jia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Scaling Analysis ◽  
Small Stream ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Species Richness And Abundance ◽  
Huangshan Mountain

Abstract Spatial and temporal variation of fish assemblages were investigated seasonally from May 2007 to February 2008 across 11 study sites in a subtropical small stream, the Puxi Stream, of the Huangshan Mountain. Along the longitudinal gradient from headwater to downstream, fish species richness and abundance increased gradually, but then decreased significantly at the lower reaches. The highest species richness and abundance were observed in August and the lowest in February. Based on analysis of similarities (ANOSIM), fish assemblages were significantly different in spatial variation but not in temporal variation. Although differences were observed both among sites and among stream orders, the lower R value in order-variation suggested stream order was not the optimal factor explaining the spatial variation of fish assemblages. In addition, dam construction did not significantly alter fish assemblages in the sites adjacent to and immediately downstream to dams. Using cluster analysis and non-metric Multi Dimensional Scaling analysis (NMS), assemblages were separated into three groups at a Bray-Curtis similarity value of 42%: the upper, middle and lower groups. Following analysis of similarity percentages of species contributions (SIMPER), shifts in occurrence or abundance of S. curriculus, Z. platypus, R. bitterling and A. fasciatus contributed most to the differences amongst the three groups. Standard Deviation Redundancy Analysis (RDA) suggested that habitat structure (such as elevation, substrate, and flow velocity) contributed to the spatial and temporal pattern of fish assemblages in the Puxi Stream. In conclusion, the fish assemblages in Puxi Stream presented significant spatial but not temporal variation. Human disturbance has perhaps induced the decrease in species diversity in the lower reaches. However, no significant change was observed for fish assemblages in sites far from and immediately downstream from low-head dams.

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