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Article

Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran

by
Mojgan Zare-Shahraki
1,†,
Eisa Ebrahimi-Dorche
1,*,†,
Andreas Bruder
2,
Joseph Flotemersch
3,*,
Karen Blocksom
4 and
Doru Bănăduc
5,*,†
1
Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran
2
Institute of Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland
3
Office of Research and Development, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC 20460, USA
4
National Health and Environmental Effects Research, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA
5
Applied Ecology Research Center, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, European Union, 550012 Sibiu, Romania
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Water 2022, 14(14), 2226; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14142226
Submission received: 28 May 2022 / Revised: 1 July 2022 / Accepted: 10 July 2022 / Published: 14 July 2022

Abstract

:
We analyzed spatial variation in fish species richness and community composition in the Karun River basin, Iran. Knowledge about fish diversity in the basin is incomplete and varies widely along spatial and temporal scales: The Karun is the longest river in Iran (950 km) with the largest drainage area (about 67,000 km2). Fish samples were collected from 54 sites from July through August 2019 using a backpack electro-fisher. Physico-chemical and habitat parameter data collected at each site included pH, conductivity (μS/cm), dissolved oxygen (mg/L), water temperature (°C), turbidity (NTU), stream width (m), stream depth (m), water velocity (m/s) and elevation (m). In total, 37 species were collected (5241 individuals weighing 110.67 kg). The species collected represented 12 families and 27 genera. A total of 13 endemic species (35.14%), 16 native species (43.24%), and eight non-native species (21.62%) were recorded. Diversity indices were calculated and used to measure the spatial variation in community composition. Relationships between native and endemic species assemblage structure and environmental descriptors were assessed using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The first two axes of the canonical correspondence analysis explained 62.57% of the variation in the data. Of the nine environmental descriptors analyzed, eight significantly affected species distribution; however, electrical conductivity and elevation were most influential. Our study provides up-to-date status information on the distribution of freshwater fishes in the Karun River basin. This information is essential for developing conservation and management strategies to support the long-term sustainability of fish populations in the Karun River basin.

1. Introduction

Large river basins have been inhabited by humans for more than five millennia and have contributed to the success of some of the most important human culture and civilization centers in human history [1,2,3,4,5]. However, human presence in the watersheds resulted in complex and highly variable impacts on lotic ecosystems. Such human impacts have altered water flows and the quality of habitats of many freshwater fish species and are a major cause of the decline in freshwater fish biodiversity [3,4,5]. Despite the importance of these impacts, many large river systems have not been adequately studied, especially where the spatial and temporal dynamics of the area require complex study designs for robust assessment [6]. Many Iranian rivers, such as the Karun River basin, serve as examples of this lack of knowledge [7,8,9,10].
The Middle East is a transition region between three important biogeographical units, the Palearctic, the Afrotropical, and the Oriental realms [11]. Iran is located in the Palearctic region bordering the Oriental and Ethiopian zones [12], and its north-west, west and south-west are parts of Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hot spot with high biodiversity and endemism, especially with regard to freshwater fish [13,14]. The ichthyofaunal composition of Iran is a result of the Iranian Plateau boarding the Eastern Mediterranean (Western-Palearctic), the Southern Asian (Indo-Oriental) and the Ethiopian regions [15]. As a result, this area is considered as the origin of many fish species, and an important crossroad of migration routes, resulting in high biodiversity of freshwater fishes [16,17]. New species of fish are regularly being described from this area. However, human population growth, aquaculture, fish introductions and movement, drought, pollution and habitat destruction have had negative effects on the diversity of freshwater fish communities [15,18].
Among the Iranian Plateau drainage systems, the Karun River basin shows a great fish diversity [13,14,19] despite being affected by pollution and impacted water quality [20], which has increased the environmental risks to freshwater fish [21]. For example, many sections of the basin receive raw sewage from industrial, agricultural and urban sources which may lead to the bioaccumulation of chemicals in fish tissues [22]. Negative effects of water quality issues or loss of natural habitats on aquatic organisms may include effects on reproduction, behavior, the immune system or genetic damage leading to alterations in community composition [23]. Understanding the impact of such pollutants on fish species composition, distribution and community structure in the Karun River basin is challenging due to limited knowledge on fish diversity and distribution in the different sections of the basin. Thus, the goal of our study was to reveal spatial patterns of fish community structure in the Karun River basin in the context of environmental variables.

2. Material and Methods

2.1. Study Area

The Karun River is the longest river (950 km) in Iran with the largest drainage area (about 67,000 km2). It flows from the central Zagros range and discharges into the Persian Gulf. This study was limited to wadable sections of Karun’s basin, including 18 large and small rivers (Figure 1). The average distance between sampling sites was 27 ± 44 km. Where present, the tree vegetation on both sides of the stream was mixed, mostly consisting of Fagaceae, Tamaricaceae, and Salicaceae.

2.2. Field Sampling

Fish samples were collected from 54 sites (Figure 1) from July to August 2019 using a backpack electro-fisher (Samus 1000, Poland; 12 V import, 250 V export), which was applied from downstream to upstream at each site. Sampling sites were 150–200 m long and comprised different mesohabitats. Each site was fished for approximately 90 min. Fish with body lengths greater than 20 mm were identified to the species level, counted, measured for total length and weight, and returned to the river [24]. Fish less than 20 mm were conserved in formaldehyde and transported to the laboratory for identification using a dissecting microscope. The identification of fish species was based on available references [12,14,25,26].

2.3. Physico-Chemical and Habitat Parameters

Physico-chemical and habitat parameters measured in situ included pH, electrical conductivity (EC) (μS/cm), dissolved oxygen (DO: mg/L), water temperature (T: °C), turbidity (NTU), stream width (m), average stream depth (m), water velocity (m/s) and elevation (m). Dissolved oxygen was measured by a portable oxygen meter (Model: WTW oxi 3210); stream width and stream depth using measurement tapes and tube, respectively; water velocity (Flow meter, Model: 001); and elevation using GPS (Garmin GPSMAP 64X).

2.4. Data Analysis

Dominant and common fish species were determined by the index of relative importance (IRI) based on the numerical percentage, weight percentage and frequency of occurrence Equation (1) [27]:
IRIi = (%Ni + %Wi) × %Fi
where %Ni and %Wi represent the percentage in terms of numbers and percentage in terms of weight, respectively, of species i in the total catch, and %Fi is the frequency of occurrence of species i. When IRIi was greater than 10%, species i was considered dominant, whereas species with 1% < IRIi < 10% were considered common.
Several diversity indices Equations (2)–(5) were used to measure the spatial variation in fish species diversity as follows [28,29]:
Margalef species richness index : D = S 1 / l n N
Simpson’s index of diversity : D = 1     P i 2
Shannon–Wiener diversity index : H =   P i   l n   P i
Pielou evenness index : J = H / l n S
where S is the number of species, N is the total number of individuals of all species, and Pi is the proportion of each species in the sample.
A dataset covering all collected species at each site was constructed. Similarity analyses were conducted based on the relative abundance of species/site. The furthest-neighbor method with squared Euclidean distance was then used for cluster analysis of the community matrix. A gradient in the community of native and endemic species and the importance of environmental descriptors were assessed using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Species with a frequency of occurrence of at least 10% of the total sampled sites were included in this analysis (9 native and 11 endemic species). Statistical analysis was carried out using R software (version 4.0.3) [30] in the vegan package.

3. Results

3.1. Species Composition

Thirty-seven species in total were collected from the 54 sites (5241 individuals weighing 110.67 kg) and categorized into 12 families and 27 genera (Appendix A and Appendix B). Of these, the most species-rich family was Cyprinidae (40.5%, 15 species), followed by Leuciscidae (21.6%, eight species), Nemacheilidae (10.8%, four species) and Xenocyprididae (5.4%, two species). Aphanidae, Poeciliidae, Sisoridae, Mastacembelidae, Salmonidae, Mugilidae, Gobionidae and Gobiidae were represented by one species each. A total of 13 endemic species (35.14%), 16 native species (43.24%) and eight non-native species (21.62%) were reported in the Karun River basin. The fish from the study area belonged to four feeding groups. The percentage of omnivorous, benthivorous, carnivorous, and herbivorous fish accounted for 54.05%, 21.62%, 8.11% and 16.22%, respectively. The substrate preference for most of the species was rocky streambed (72.97%), followed by vegetative substrate (27.03%). Distribution and presence status of different species at the Karun River basin, along with other characteristics, are presented in Table 1. The dominant species were Capoeta coadi (IRI, 23%), followed by Capoeta aculeata (IRI, 12.41%), Garra rufa (IRI, 10.29%) and Chondrostoma regium (IRI, 10.27%). The common species were Alburnus sellal (IRI, 6.78%), Capoeta pyragyi (IRI, 5.72%), Squalius berak (IRI, 2.77%), Capoeta trutta (IRI, 2.54%), Garra gymnothorax (IRI, 2.25%), Alburnoides idignensis (IRI, 1.22%), and Barbus lacerta (IRI, 1.02%) (Table 2). The abundance and biomass of these 10 species accounted for 78.57% of the total individuals and 83.86% of the total biomass.

3.2. Species Distribution in the Karun River Basin

The general distribution of fish species in the 54 sites is shown in Appendix B. Four species (Capoeta coadi, Chondrostoma regium, Garra rufa, and Alburnus sellal) appeared in more than 50% of sites, whereas nine species were recorded in only one or two sites. Cluster analysis divided sampling sites into ten different groups (Figure 2) based on relative abundance of different fish species. Most sampling sites, and consequently, most fish species were in one group, all of which were located in the upper and middle parts of the Karun River basin (Figure 3). The other groups covered five sites (49–53) located in the lower mainstream regions in the Karun River basin (Figure 2). Five species (Mastacembelus mastacembelus, Carasobarbus luteus, Arabibarbus grypus, Alburnus caeruleus and Hemiculter leucisculus) were only reported from these sites. Some species such as Gambusia holbrooki, Rhinogobius lindbergi and Pseudorasbora parva were found only at site 22 and Ctenopharyngodon idella was present only at site 24.

3.3. Spatial Variation in Fish Composition

Fish diversity and evenness indices are presented in Table 3. No fish were caught at sites 0, 15, and 29, which are therefore not included in Table 3. The highest species richness was observed at sites 20 and 22 (with 13 and 15 fish species, respectively), whereas the lowest value (one species) was observed at site 49. The maximum abundance (388 individuals) was collected at site 38, whereas the minimum (two and three individuals) was observed at sites 18 and 49, respectively. The highest biomass (5688.4 g) was observed at site 10, whereas lowest (14.08 g) was observed at site 49. The species diversity indices also differed among sampling sites. The Simpson dominance index ranged from 0–0.86, with a smaller value indicating a higher concentration and lower diversity. The maximum value for Margalef species richness index (2.96), Shannon−Wiener diversity index (2.14), Simpson’s index (0.86), and Pielou evenness index (1) were observed at sites 31, 22, 41 and (18, 46) respectively. Site 49, with only one species, had the minimum score (0) for evenness and diversity indices.

3.4. Environmental Variables

Details of some measured physico-chemical and habitat parameters in the Karun River are presented in Table 4.
The first two axes of the canonical correspondence analysis explained 62.57% of the data variation. The first axis explained 37.17%, and the second axis explained 25.4%. Out of nine analyzed environmental descriptors, eight variables had a significant influence on species distribution (Table 5), but electrical conductivity and elevation were the most influential. In streams with greater stream width, C. trutta, C. coadi, C. aculeata, C. regium and G. rufa were more common and some species, such as G. silviae, A. sellal, T. hafezi, C. kosswigi, L. barbulus and T. saadii, were present in shallower depths. In rivers with higher electrical conductivity and temperature, the most common species were C. macrostomus and G. gymnothorax; in rivers with higher water velocity and elevation, A. doriae and S. berak were common (Figure 4).

4. Discussion

4.1. Environmental Parameters

The influence of environmental variables on fish species distribution and community structure contributes to a more complete understanding of fish-habitat relationships [31]. Among water quality parameters, water temperature (T) is one of the most important parameters that affects the survival, growth, and metabolic activities of fish [31,32,33,34]. The maximum recommended level of water temperature in some references is 20 °C to 30 °C to support fish growth rate [35,36,37,38], which was consistent with our results. In our study, water temperature increased longitudinally from headwaters to downstream sites [36,37,38]. pH was probably also influential in explaining the presence or absence of fish species. The optimal pH for freshwater fish species usually ranges from 5.5 to 7.5 [31,32,33,34], which is consistent with the results of our study. The concentration of dissolved oxygen also strongly influences abundance, distribution, activity, behavior and survival of freshwater fish [39,40,41]. In this study, high concentrations were consistently recorded (Table 4). Water turbidity and velocity can also impact fish community structure. Water transparency in fluvial systems is affected by season, rainfall patterns, and water velocity [42], whereas current velocity is controlled by season, altitude, and morphological structure [42]. Meteorology and microclimatic drivers also influence hydrology of the study sites in the Karun with depth of water increasing from upstream to downstream sites. High turbidity and high flow velocities were indeed observed in the Karun, in particular during and after rainfall events. Turbidity values reported as best supporting fish communities range from 0–40 (NTU) [43]. In our study, increased water velocities were associated with decreases in all diversity indices and in richness, a finding concurrent with those of other studies [36,44,45,46].

4.2. Fish Community Structure and Diversity

Our study provides information about the community structure and spatial variation of the fish species in the Karun River basin. Fish species vary in their sensitivity to human intervention, natural calamities and environmental degradation in general [42,47,48,49,50]. The majority of fish species observed in our study belonged to the Cyprinidae and Leuciscidae families. The most dominant species was C. coadi, followed by C. aculeata, G. rufa and C. regium. These species have many populations across their distribution range and no known major threat; therefore, they were classified as species of least concern [14]. Owing to the large size of two of the species in the genus Capoeta, they are targeted by fishermen. C. regium is an endangered species in Turkey [51].
Endemic freshwater fish comprise 79 species in Iran [14], of which thirteen species are endemic to the Karun basin (Table 1). Endemic species have, by definition, a small geographic spread and often depend on specific and sometimes rare habitat types [52,53]. Among them, some species, including Aphanius vladykovi and Sasanidus kermanshahensis, were classified as near threatened and endangered, respectively [14]. The endemic species we detected had limited distribution in our set of sites (Appendix A) and are particularly sensitive to change and degradation of the environment compared to more dispersed species [51,52]. Only Carasobarbus kosswigi (native) and Cyprinus carpio (non-native) were considered vulnerable [14].
Site 22 had the highest species richness among all sampling sites. This was surprising given that site did not have water quality and habitat conditions that seemed appropriate to support the observed fish community. We hypothesize that the observed high richness may have been partly caused by a great flood event that occurred in the study area in the early spring of 2019 prior to our summer sampling, and that some species may have been transferred to this site and were not able to return to their original habitat when waters receded due to the presence of a previously submerged barrier in the river (Figure 5d). Additionally, three non-native species (i.e., Pseudorasbora parva, Rhinogobius lindbergi and Gambusia holbrooki were recorded only at this site. Site 20 (Figure 5e) supported the next highest species richness. Bank areas were well vegetated and a mixture of micro-habitats was present. Physico-chemical characteristics and habitat conditions were also suitable. The lowest species richness was observed at site 49 with only one species, Hemiculter leucisculus. This species is typical of downstream sites of the Karun River basin and generally not observed in upstream areas [14]. Hydrological characteristics of site 49 varied substantially over the day due to the influence of water discharge from power generation turbines. When discharges occur from the reservoir into the river during power generation, the mean depth, water velocity and flow increase substantially. Regularly disrupted flow conditions probably limited fish diversity at this site. Nyanti et al. (2018) reach a similar conclusion in the context of hydropower operations on the Batang Ai river in Malaysia. Evenness in our communities was close to 1, indicating very few dominant species in the Karun River basin (Table 3) [53]. Among the sampling sites, sites 0 (Figure 5a), 15 (Figure 5b) and 29 (Figure 5c) were registered as fish-free sites. Observed conditions that might have contributed to these sites being less utilized by fish include low water temperature, high water velocity, the presence of large boulders in the riverbed, and also the lack of nutrients. This, together with reduced connectivity of these sites, might explain the absence of fish at these three sites [54,55].
In general, the results of cluster analysis (Figure 2 and Figure 3) showed that some species, such as Hemiculter leucisculus, Carasobarbus luteus, Mastacembelus mastacembelus, Alburnus caeruleus and Acantobramam marmid, were found only in downstream parts of the Karun River basin (Sites 49–53). These species are generally considered tolerant species that prefer warm water with stony or gravel substrates and bushy riparian zones [56]. Environmental conditions differ strongly between the lower and the upper parts of the Karun River basin (e.g., water depth, river width, substrate size, temperature, EC, pH, etc.). The lower parts of the basin are furthermore influenced by urbanization. These factors influence the distribution of fish in rivers [36].
In this study, the CCA analysis revealed how native and endemic fish community composition responded to changes in environmental variables in the Karun River Basin [57,58]. Most of the measured environmental variables had a significant influence on species distribution (Table 5). However, EC and elevation were the most influential variables for the distributions of native and endemic fish species in the Karun River basin. G.gymnothorax and C.macrostomus were positively associated with high conductivity, whereas S.berak, A.sellal, T.saadii and B.karunensis were positively associated with dissolved oxygen concentrations. Jaramillo-Villa et al. (2010) and Suarez et al. (2011) stated that altitudinal gradients promote changes in community composition along river systems due to differences in habitat use, feeding behaviour and movement of fish species [59,60]. Likewise, Dubey et al. (2012) observed that EC, DO, pH, alkalinity, and salinity were most strongly correlated with fish community composition of the Kali Gandaki River basin in Nepal, and the Ganga River basin in India [61]. In the study of Mondal and Bhat (2020) EC, DO and water velocity were influential factors in tropical streams in India [62]. Our results concur with the findings from these studies and further support the importance of these environmental variables in characterizing fish–environment relationships.

4.3. Current Threats to Fish Communities in the Karun River Basin

Disturbances due to drought, dam construction, sand excavation (i.e., damaging effects on fish feeding, migration, and reproduction grounds), pollution, and overfishing are the most significant threats to fish biodiversity in Iran [25,63,64] as in other parts of Asia [65,66,67]. For example, the construction of the Karun 1, 3, 4, Abbaspour, and Gotvand dams on the Karun River has strongly altered river connectivity and hydrology, and disrupted the longitudinal migration of fishes. In particular, the frequent droughts in the last few years have severely threatened aquatic organisms including fish. In summer, many large rivers are reduced to a trickle as a result of excessive water abstraction for agricultural purposes. However, it seems that some fish species have been able to adapt to these new conditions and persist. Overfishing and illegal fishing are other threats to fish communities throughout all large river systems in Iran, especially in the downstream parts of the Karun River basin. As a result of such widespread alterations and habitat loss, fish communities have been negatively impacted in most Iranian water bodies [25].

5. Conclusions

Conservation of freshwater fish should be based on a comprehensive understanding of large-scale species-richness patterns and endemism patterns. The methods used in our study provide a basis for assessing the current status of freshwater fish diversity in the Karun River basin. This status information is essential in determining appropriate conservation and management strategies and filling gaps in knowledge in important but strongly altered basins such as the Karun River basin. Some of the described impacts of altered environmental conditions with consequences on fish community composition could be alleviated by the designation and effective management of protected areas. Based on our findings, we propose the following conservation measures to protect and sustainably use fish biodiversity in the Karun River basin: (1) re-establishment of economically important fish species such as L. barbulus, A. grypus and C. kosswigi; (2) prohibition of fishing during the breeding season; and (3) habitat restoration for endangered and important species such as G. silviae and S. kermanshahensis.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, M.Z.-S. and E.E.-D.; Data curation, M.Z.-S.; Formal analysis, M.Z.-S., E.E.-D., A.B., J.F., K.B. and D.B.; Funding acquisition, M.Z.-S., E.E.-D. and A.B; Investigation, M.Z.-S. and E.E.-D.; Methodology, M.Z.-S.; Project administration, M.Z.-S.; Resources, M.Z.-S. and E.E.-D.; Software, M.Z.-S.; Supervision, M.Z.-S., E.E.-D., A.B., J.F., K.B. and D.B.; Validation, E.E.-D., A.B., J.F., K.B. and D.B.; Visualization, M.Z.-S., E.E.-D., A.B., J.F., K.B. and D.B.; Writing—original draft, M.Z.-S., E.E.-D., A.B., J.F., K.B. and D.B.; Writing—review and editing, M.Z.-S., E.E.-D., A.B., J.F., K.B. and D.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was financially supported through a collaborative project between the Isfahan University of Technology and the Swiss Leading House for South Asia and Iran (ZHAW). We are grateful to the Iranian Ministry of Energy and the Department of Environment for their in-kind support.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Not applicable.

Informed Consent Statement

All the co-authors checked and are agreed with this form of the accepted research paper. All experiments have been conducted as per the guidelines of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee, Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Acknowledgments

The authors appreciate Ebrahim Motaghi, Saeid Asadolah, and Azita Rezvani for their assistance with fieldwork and map preparation, respectively. The authors would like to thank Johnson Brent and Sean Collins (United States Environmental Protection Agency) for their comments on an earlier draft that greatly contributed to the improvement of this paper. The research presented was not performed or funded by EPA and was not subject to EPA’s quality system requirements. The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views or the policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Appendix A. The fish species presence/absence status in the Karun River basin

FamilyCyprinidaeLeuciscidaeXenocyprididaeNemacheilidaeSisoridaeMugilidaeCyprinodontidaeMastacembelidaeSalmonidaeOxudercidaeGobionidaePoeciliidae
SubfamilyCyprininaeLabeoninaeBarbinae-LeuciscinaeAlburninaeCultrinaeSqualiobarbinae-Glyptosterninae-Cyprinodontina--GobionellinaeGobioninae-
SiteCapoeta coadiCapoeta aculeataCapoeta pyragyiCapoeta truttaCarassius gibelioArabibarbus grypusCyprinus carpioGarra rufaGarra gymnothoraxBarbus lacertaBarbus karunensisLuciobarbus barbulusCarasobarbus luteusCarasobarbus kosswigiCyprion macrostomusChondrostoma regiumSqualius berakSqualius lepidusAcanthobrama marmidAlburnus sellalAlburnus caeruleusAlburnus doriaeAlburnoides idignesisHemiculter leucisculusCtenopharyngodon idellaSasanidus kermanshahensisTurcinoemacheilus saadiiTurcinoemacheilus hafeziOxynoemacheilus freyhofiGlyptothorax silviaePlaniPlaniliza abuAphanius vladykoviMastacembelus mastacembelusOncorhynchus mykissRhinogobius lindbergiPseudorasbora parvaGambusia holbrooki
S0-------------------------------------
S1++-----++--+-------+-------+---------
S2++-----++--+-------+-------+---------
S3++-+---++--+-++++--+-------+---------
S4++-+---++--+--+++--------------------
S5++-+---+-------++--+-----------------
S6++-------+-----+---+-+-----------+---
S7++-------+-----+---+-+-----------+---
S8+--------------+-----------+---------
S9++-------+-----+---+-+---------------
S10+------++------+---+-+----++-+-------
S11++-----+-+-----+-----+---------+-----
S12++-----+--+----+---+-+----++-+-------
S13+--------------+-----+---------------
S14++-------------+-+---+---------+-----
S15-------------------------------------
S16--++---++--+-------+---------+-------
S17--+----+---+-----------------+-------
S18---+---+-----------------------------
S19+--+--+++-+--------+--+---++---------
S20--+----++++----+---+-++--+++-+-------
S21--+----+-++----+---+--+--+---+-------
S22--+-+--+++----+-+--+-------++++---+++
S23--+----+++---------+--+----------+---
S24--+-+---++------+-----+-+-++---------
S25--+------+------+--+--+--+--++-------
S26--+------+------+--+--+--+--++-------
S27--+------+---------+--------+--------
S28--+----+-+-+-------+--+--+--++-------
S29-------------------------------------
S30--+------+-------+-+--+--------------
S31+++----+++-+---+---+---------+-------
S32++-----++--+----+------------+-------
S33++-----++-++---++--+-------+-+-------
S34++-----+--++---++--+-------+-+-------
S35++--------+----+-------------+-------
S36++-+---++------++--+-------+-+-------
S37++-+---+------++---+-+-----+---------
S38++-----++-+---+++--+------++-+-------
S39++-+---+---+---++--+---------+-------
S40++-----+--++-+--+--+------+------+---
S41+--+---++--+-+--+--+-----------------
S42---++---+--+----+--------------------
S43++-+---++--+-++++---------+----------
S44+------++------------------------+---
S45++-+---+-+-----++--+------+--+-------
S46+---------------+------------+-------
S47+--------------++--+-----------------
S48++-+---+---+-+-++--------------------
S49-----------------------+-------------
S50-------+------++----------------+----
S51---+-+--+-----+----------+------+----
S52---++--+----+-+-----+--------+--+----
S53----+-+-----+-++--+-+--+------+------

Appendix B. The photos of all recorded fish species in the Karun River basin, Iran

Water 14 02226 g0a1aWater 14 02226 g0a1bWater 14 02226 g0a1cWater 14 02226 g0a1dWater 14 02226 g0a1e

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Figure 1. Distribution of sampling sites (0–53) in the Karun River basin, Iran.
Figure 1. Distribution of sampling sites (0–53) in the Karun River basin, Iran.
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Figure 2. Grouping data matrix rows (sampling sites) using cluster analysis and silhouette width.
Figure 2. Grouping data matrix rows (sampling sites) using cluster analysis and silhouette width.
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Figure 3. Grouping data matrix columns (fish species) using cluster analysis and silhouette width.
Figure 3. Grouping data matrix columns (fish species) using cluster analysis and silhouette width.
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Figure 4. CCA biplot for native and endemic fish species composition and environmental variables. (Abbreviation, EC: Electrical conductivity, T: Temperature, Do: Dissolved oxygen).
Figure 4. CCA biplot for native and endemic fish species composition and environmental variables. (Abbreviation, EC: Electrical conductivity, T: Temperature, Do: Dissolved oxygen).
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Figure 5. Some examples of sampling sites in the Karun River basin; (a) site 0 (Dezdaran), (b) 15 (Cheshmeh Pireh ghar), (c) 29 (Ab sefid waterfall), (d) 22 (Tireh), (e) 20 (Chamchit 1).
Figure 5. Some examples of sampling sites in the Karun River basin; (a) site 0 (Dezdaran), (b) 15 (Cheshmeh Pireh ghar), (c) 29 (Ab sefid waterfall), (d) 22 (Tireh), (e) 20 (Chamchit 1).
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Table 1. Different characteristics of fish species recorded in the Karun River basin.
Table 1. Different characteristics of fish species recorded in the Karun River basin.
SpeciesDistributionPresence Status in Karun BasinFeeding BehaviourSubstrate
Preference
IUCN Status
Acanthobrama marmidTigris basinNativeOmnivoreVegetativeLeast Concern
Alburnoides idignensisTigris basinEndemicOmnivoreVegetativeNot Evaluated
Alburnus caeruleusTigris basinNativeOmnivoreVegetativeLeast Concern
Alburnus doriaeNamak, Esfahan and Tigris basinsEndemicBenthivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Alburnus sellalTigris, Kor, Maharlu Lake, Persis and Hormuz basinsNativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Aphanius vladykoviTigris and Esfahan basinsEndemicOmnivoreVegetativeNot Evaluated
Arabibarbus grypusTigris, Persis and Hormuz basinsNativeOmnivoreVegetativeVulnerable/Decreasing
Barbus karunensisTigris basinEndemicOmnivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Barbus lacertaTigris basinNativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Capoeta aculeataTigris and Kor basinsEndemicHerbivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Capoeta coadiTigris and Esfahan BasinsEndemicHerbivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Capoeta truttaTigris basinNativeHerbivoreRockyLeast Concern
Carasobarbus kosswigiTigris basinNativeOmnivoreRockyVulnerable/Decreasing
Carasobarbus luteusTigris, Persis, Hormuz, Maharlu Lake basinsNativeHerbivoreRockyLeast Concern
Carassius gibelioIntroduced widely; found in all basins of Iran.Non-nativeOmnivoreVegetativeNot Evaluated
Chondrostoma regiumTigris and Esfahan basin.NativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Ctenopharyngodon idellaIntroduced widely elsewhere, found in all basins of Iran.Non-nativeHerbivoreVegetativeLeast Concern
Cyprinion macrostomusTigris basinNativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Cyprinus carpioNative to the Caspian Sea basin. Introduced widely to all basins in Iran.Non-nativeOmnivoreVegetativeVulnerable
Gambusia holbrookiIntroduced widely elsewhere, found in all basins of Iran.Non-nativeOmnivoreVegetativeLeast Concern
Garra gymnothoraxTigris basinEndemicOmnivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Garra rufaTigris, Kor, Maharlu Lake and PersisNativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Glyptothorax silviaeTigris and Persis basinsEndemicBenthivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Hemiculter leucisculusIntroduced widely everywhere, found in all Iranian basins.Non-nativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Luciobarbus barbulusTigris and Persis basinsNativeCarnivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Mastacembelus mastacembelusTigris and PersisNativeCarnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Oncorhynchus mykissIntroduced widely elsewhere, found in all basins of Iran.Non-nativeCarnivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Oxynoemacheilus freyhofiTigris basinEndemicBenthivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Planiliza abuTigris River, Persis, Hormuz and Maharlu Lake basinsNativeBenthivoreRockyLeast Concern
Pseudorasbora parvaIntroduced widely everywhere, found in all Iranian basins.Non-nativeOmnivoreVegetativeLeast Concern
Rhinogobius lindbergiCaspian, Namak, Hari and Tigris basinsNon-nativeBenthivoreRockyNot Evaluated
Sasanidus kermanshahensisTigris basinEndemicBenthivoreRockyEndangered
Squalius berakTigris basinNativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Squalius lepidusTigris basinNativeOmnivoreRockyLeast Concern
Turcinoemacheilus hafeziTigris basinEndemicBenthivoreRockyLeast Concern
Turcinoemacheilus saadiiTigris basinEndemicBenthivoreRockyLeast Concern
Capoeta pyragyiTigris basinEndemicHerbivoreRockyLeast Concern
Table 2. The composition of fish species in the Karun River basin.
Table 2. The composition of fish species in the Karun River basin.
Family/SpeciesTotal Number of Individuals (N)Total Biomass W(g)Index of Relative Importance (IRI) (%)Frequency of Occurrence (%)
Leuciscidae
Acanthobrama marmid44.780.0021.96
Chondrostoma regium50410,06210.27154.9
Alburnoides idignensis2562299.471.22917.64
Alburnus caeruleus3056.930.0243.92
Squalius berak1045623.122.77139.21
Squalius lepidus763630.660.3717.84
Alburnus doriae1452051.490.81517.64
Alburnus sellal3904121.196.78660.78
Cyprinidae
Capoeta aculeate48518,959.8512.41647.05
Capoeta coadi85722,480.0523.00462.74
Capoeta trutta1845104.412.54831.37
Carasobarbus kosswigi15266.660.0529.80
Carasobarbus luteus421280.930.0773.92
Carassius gibelio44688.520.143
Cyprinion macrostomus1481612.60.83919.60
Cyprinus carpio91348.490.0553.92
Garra rufa6194532.7410.29264.70
Garra gymnothorax254990.972.25239.21
Luciobarbus barbulus44825.250.52833.33
Capoeta pyragyi38616,709.635.72625.49
Arabibarbus grypus217.230.0011.96
Barbus karunensis26786.980.21317.64
Barbus lacerta791938.331.02231.37
Xenocyprinidae
Ctenopharyngodon idella1326.90.0061.96
Hemiculter leucisculus421.30.0043.92
Poeciliidae
Gambusia holbrooki96.860.0031.96
Sisoridae
Glyptothorax silviae64296.780.61341.17
Mastacembelidae
Mastacembelus mastacembelus221034.190.0805.88
Salmonidae
Oncorhynchus mykiss71245.850.1239.88
Nemacheilidae
Oxynoemacheilus freyhofi6697.850.15911.76
Sasanidus kermanshahensis3627.810.11215.68
Turcinoemacheilus hafezi17348.880.85325.49
Turcinoemacheilus saadii3617.360.12417.64
Mugilidae
Planiliza abu661513.90.1033.92
Gobionidae
Pseudorasbora parva36.20.0011.96
Gobiidae
Rhinogobius lindbergi520.0021.96
Aphanidae
Aphanius vladykovi1011.720.0073.92
Note: Bold rows show dominant and common species in the Karun River basin.
Table 3. Spatial variation in fish species richness, abundance and diversity indices in the Karun River basin.
Table 3. Spatial variation in fish species richness, abundance and diversity indices in the Karun River basin.
Site_CodeShannon−Wiener
Diversity Index
Simpson’s Index of DiversityMargalef Species
Richness Index
Pielou Evenness
Index
Total Number
of Species
Total Abundance
11.090.581.200.567151
21.580.751.630.81740
31.570.672.280.6312124
41.870.821.680.859118
51.720.781.570.88746
61.590.771.270.817111
71.630.791.240.847125
80.760.510.500.69355
91.500.760.920.93676
101.300.591.500.599205
111.320.661.390.68775
121.260.621.770.5510162
130.690.610.870.63310
141.290.70.840.93550
161.890.832.150.91826
170.970.511.040.70418
180.690.51.441.0022
191.920.832.080.831076
202.080.832.490.8113123
211.730.741.890.83969
222.140.852.380.7915359
231.470.741.350.75785
241.940.832.080.841075
251.540.711.290.748229
261.550.71.350.758177
271.010.531.000.63555
281.390.61.900.611066
301.440.711.060.806110
311.840.722.960.701166
321.690.782.040.87719
332.010.832.170.841095
341.880.812.050.7810127
351.370.71.380.85518
361.880.792.320.7810123
371.300.671.500.599207
381.750.781.850.7012388
391.790.781.940.7810103
401.870.792.360.781179
412.130.862.910.93820
421.750.822.570.9867
431.460.42.020.6311141
440.510.250.630.374116
451.740.751.880.7311202
461.100.671.821.0033
471.040.430.650.754101
481.770.81.340.858184
490.000.000.000.0013
500.980.580.620.714123
510.850.491.000.536152
521.550.721.560.75889
531.740.781.980.79957
Mean1.470.681.600.757.69102.76
Range0–2.140–0.860–2.960–10–150–388
Table 4. Details of measured physico-chemical and habitat parameters in the Karun River system.
Table 4. Details of measured physico-chemical and habitat parameters in the Karun River system.
FactorMeanMin.Max.S.D.
Physico-chemical parameters
pH7.877.038.310.32
Electrical Conductivity (μS/cm)475.752352250281.98
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L)8.466.0510.510.89
Water Temperature (°C)18.8910.728.433.95
Turbidity (NTU)43.6915.93148.8426.46
Habitat parameters
Stream Width (m)46.49511024.67
Stream Depth (m)48.6327.491.910.62
Water Velocity (m/s)3.51.55.010.78
Altitude (m)1424.94672012445.05
Note: Mean, minimum (Min.), maximum (Max.) and standard deviations (S.D.) are given.
Table 5. Results of CCA for the occurrence of native and endemic fish species and environmental descriptors in the Karun River basin, Iran.
Table 5. Results of CCA for the occurrence of native and endemic fish species and environmental descriptors in the Karun River basin, Iran.
Environmental DescriptorsAxis 1Axis 2F-Ratiop-Value
Electrical Conductivity−0.67870.547545.45210.005 **
Elevation0.736671−0.395585.2050.005 **
Water Temperature−0.519040.679744.72980.005 **
Turbidity0.1696770.815543.60760.005 **
Dissolved Oxygen0.657490.1473.55760.005 **
Water Velocity0.353703−0.577652.68510.005 **
pH0.4418770.144552.85540.01 **
Width−0.23955−0.469672.15360.01 **
Depth−0.00233−0.037821.49820.2
Note: ** = significant at α = 0.05.
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Zare-Shahraki, M.; Ebrahimi-Dorche, E.; Bruder, A.; Flotemersch, J.; Blocksom, K.; Bănăduc, D. Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran. Water 2022, 14, 2226. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14142226

AMA Style

Zare-Shahraki M, Ebrahimi-Dorche E, Bruder A, Flotemersch J, Blocksom K, Bănăduc D. Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran. Water. 2022; 14(14):2226. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14142226

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Zare-Shahraki, Mojgan, Eisa Ebrahimi-Dorche, Andreas Bruder, Joseph Flotemersch, Karen Blocksom, and Doru Bănăduc. 2022. "Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran" Water 14, no. 14: 2226. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14142226

APA Style

Zare-Shahraki, M., Ebrahimi-Dorche, E., Bruder, A., Flotemersch, J., Blocksom, K., & Bănăduc, D. (2022). Fish Species Composition, Distribution and Community Structure in Relation to Environmental Variation in a Semi-Arid Mountainous River Basin, Iran. Water, 14(14), 2226. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14142226

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