Fish community structure in the Yellow River estuary: Effect of water and sediment discharge regulations

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Fish community structure in the Yellow River estuary: Effect of water and sediment discharge regulations
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Affiliation:1. Shandong Marine Resource and Environment Research Institute, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Restoration for Marine Ecology, Yantai 264006, China; 2. Institute of Marine Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;3. Yantai Aquatic
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Yellow River estuary is located at the intersection between Bohai Bay and Laizhou Bay, and is an important spawning, feeding, and rearing ground for marine organisms because of the abundant food supply. s (WSDR) were implemented in 2002 and the period between June 16, 2012 and July 9, 2012 was the 14^th time the regulations had been invoked. However, it is unclear whether the WSDR affects fish community structure and distribution. We used survey data collected before, during, and after were implemented in the Yellow River estuary in 2012 to compare the fish community structure and determine the ecological impact of the WSDR. Fifteen sample sites were established between 3735′E. We calculated the index of relative importance (IRI), the Margalef richness index (′), and the Pielou’s evenness index (′) as measures of fish community structure. A total number of 39 species were captured during the three surveys, belonging to 8 orders, 23 families, and 37 genera, of which 27, 33, and 30 species were captured before, during, and after implementation of the WSDR, respectively. The dominant order was Perciformes. The assemblage was dominated by demersal fishes (percent of biomass = 95.7%) before implementation of the WSDR and the dominant species was . Conversely, the community was dominated by pelagic fishes during and after the WSDR were implemented (percent of biomass = 72% and 67.1%, respectively). The dominant species were Sardinella zunasi, and . The community was dominated by warm water species in all three surveys. The average relative biomass was (6.4±1.9) kg/h and there was little difference in biomass between sites prior to implementation of the WSDR. During implementation of the WSDR, the biomass was (62.1±29.1) kg/h and fish were primarily distributed offshore, particularly in the northwest of the estuary. After implementation of the WSDR, the biomass was (48.2±17.2) kg/h and fish primarily distributed in the estuary and the southeast of survy area. The Margalef richness index () was 1.24±0.10, 1.27±0.08, and 1.35±0.08 for the three surveys ′) was 0.63±0.04, 0.36±0.04, and 0.50±0.04 and Pielou’s evenness index (and ′ were highest before the WSDR was implemented and lowest during implementation of the WSDR, and were significantly different (<0.01) among the three surveys. We conclude that sediment deposition altered the distribution of demersal fishes in the Yellow River estuary. However, the addition of large volumes of fresh water and nutrients into the Yellow River estuary had a positive effect on pelagic fishes, especially those that preyed on plankton. To more accurately determine the influence of WSDR on fish community structure, future analyses should account for environmental changes during implementation of the WSDR in the Yellow River estuary.

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郑亮,吕振波,李凡,张岚,于文宋. 调水调沙期间黄河口海域鱼类群落结构特征[J]. Jounal of Fishery Sciences of China, 2014,[volume_no](3):602-610

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