Diversity

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19 pages, 4582 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Distribution and Dispersal Pattern of Early Life Stages of the Small Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys Polyactis) in the Southern Yellow Sea

by Xiaojing Song, Fen Hu, Min Xu, Yi Zhang, Yan Jin, Xiaodi Gao, Zunlei Liu, Jianzhong Ling, Shengfa Li and Jiahua Cheng

Diversity 2024, 16(9), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16090521 - 31 Aug 2024

Viewed by 319

Abstract

Nursery habitats play a significant role in completing fish life cycles, and they are now recognized as essential habitats. Monthly variations in nursery ground distributions of Larimichthys polyactis were investigated in the southern Yellow Sea in 2019. Bayesian hierarchical models with integrated nested [...] Read more.

Nursery habitats play a significant role in completing fish life cycles, and they are now recognized as essential habitats. Monthly variations in nursery ground distributions of Larimichthys polyactis were investigated in the southern Yellow Sea in 2019. Bayesian hierarchical models with integrated nested Laplace approximation were utilized to model the preferential nursery habitats of L. polyactis larvae. The study analyzed the spatial and temporal distributions of the larvae and juveniles based on three environmental variables: sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and depth. Additionally, this study examined the utilization of habitats by different fish life stages and ontogenetic shifts. A total of 3240 individuals were collected from April to June, with the peak occurring in May (0.05 ind./m³), and the distribution areas varied between different months. The prediction of the model reveals the ecological adaptability of L. polyactis to temperature variations. The optimal temperature for L. polyactis density ranges from 12.5 °C to 16.5 °C in April and 16.5 °C to 17.5 °C in May, demonstrating a broad temperature tolerance for L. polyactis survival. In addition, there are variations in distribution patterns among different developmental stages. Larimichthys polyactis spawn in the inshore and nearshore waters, and after hatching, larvae in the pre-flexion stage tend to remain aggregated near the spawning beds. However, larvae in the advanced development stage (post-flexion) and juveniles move towards the sandy ridge habitats along the coast and start to migrate offshore in June. This study provides valuable insights for the effective management of fishery resources in the area and can be utilized to identify marine areas with specific habitat features that require conservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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13 pages, 1736 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Demersal Fish Community in the Near-Shelf Zone of the Cosmonaut Sea, Southern Ocean

by Rui Wang, Ran Zhang, Xing Miao, Hai Li, Puqing Song, Yuan Li and Longshan Lin

Diversity 2024, 16(3), 156; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16030156 - 29 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1256

Abstract

Studies on the demersal fish composition of the East Antarctic nearshore region are very scarce due to the harsh physical geography of the East Antarctic region, which is covered in ice and snow year round, leading to a scarcity of scientific surveys. Based [...] Read more.

Studies on the demersal fish composition of the East Antarctic nearshore region are very scarce due to the harsh physical geography of the East Antarctic region, which is covered in ice and snow year round, leading to a scarcity of scientific surveys. Based on the data from the bottom trawl survey conducted by the 37–38th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) program in the Cosmonaut Sea, East Antarctica, the species of demersal fishes were identified, and the demersal fish composition and the characteristics of depth distribution were examined and analyzed. The basic biological information of highly abundant species was analyzed. The results from 97 individuals sampled within 30–60° E, south of −65° S, indicate that the fishes belong to 5 orders, 11 families, 19 genera, and 23 species. Most of the species are found in Myctophidae and Bathydraconidae, and the most common species is Macrourus whitsoni (Macrouridae). Macrourus whitsoni and Prionodraco evansii have a high abundance in the survey. Macrourus whitsoni has body lengths of 144–662 mm and body weights of 17.3–1425.1 g, and Prionodraco evansii has body lengths of 90.18–134.33 mm and body weights of 4.9–20.7 g. The length–weight relationships for Macrourus whitsoni and Prionodraco evansii are

y = 0.00002 x^{2.748}

and

y = 0.000006 x^{3.353}

, respectively. All the Macrourus whitsoni samples were found in waters deeper than 1000 m, with the highest number of individuals captured at depths of 1500–2000 m. Prionodraco evansii was found only at stations less than 250 m deep. These results complement the demersal fish composition and distribution data of the Cosmonaut Sea, East Antarctica. These data can provide valuable basic information for characterizing regional assemblages and delineating zoogeographic boundaries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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17 pages, 3444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationships between Fish Community Structure and Environmental Factors in the Nearshore Waters of Hainan Island, South China

by Zhengli Luo, Changping Yang, Liangming Wang, Yan Liu, Binbin Shan, Manting Liu, Cheng Chen, Tao Guo and Dianrong Sun

Diversity 2023, 15(8), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15080901 - 30 Jul 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1922

Abstract

The nearshore ecosystem of Hainan Island plays a crucial role as a breeding habitat for a wide variety of economically valuable fish species. Gaining insight into the structure of the fish community and the environmental factors that may impact them is highly significant [...] Read more.

The nearshore ecosystem of Hainan Island plays a crucial role as a breeding habitat for a wide variety of economically valuable fish species. Gaining insight into the structure of the fish community and the environmental factors that may impact them is highly significant in this marine region. This study collected fish data from 50 sampling sites using bottom trawling surveys. Methods including the swept area method, ecological indices, and abundance/biomass curve (ABC) analysis were employed to assess fish resource density and diversity. A comprehensive identification revealed a total of 363 fish species, encompassing 24 orders, 114 families, and 226 genera, with Perciformes being the dominant group. Spring exhibited higher fish abundance and biomass compared with autumn, with the southwestern waters as the primary concentration area. Acropoma japonicum, Decapterus maruadsi, and Navodon xanthopterus were dominant in spring, while Leiognathus bindus, Saurida tumbil, and Champsodon atridorsalis were dominant in autumn, indicating a seasonal shift towards smaller and lower-value fish species. A variability exceeding 80% was observed through SIMPER analysis, and a disrupted community structure was evident in the eastern and southern waters. Temperature and salinity were identified as primary environmental factors influencing the fish community. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the nearshore fish community of Hainan Island, aiding in the understanding of its structure and dynamics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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19 pages, 3779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Latitudinal Difference in the Condition Factor of Two Loliginidae Squid (Beka Squid and Indian Squid) in China Seas

by Jianzhong Guo, Chi Zhang, Zhixin Li, Dan Liu and Yongjun Tian

Diversity 2023, 15(7), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15070812 - 27 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1269

Abstract

Cephalopod fisheries in the China Seas have witnessed an increasing trend in the catches of coastal cephalopods since the 1990s, with Loliginidae squid emerging as the main commercial target species. However, climate change and overfishing have led to a dramatic reduction in Loliginidae [...] Read more.

Cephalopod fisheries in the China Seas have witnessed an increasing trend in the catches of coastal cephalopods since the 1990s, with Loliginidae squid emerging as the main commercial target species. However, climate change and overfishing have led to a dramatic reduction in Loliginidae squid resources, highlighting the need to improve monitoring, protection, and management of this species. The Loligo beka and Uroteuthis duvaucelii are widely distributed along the coastal areas of the China Seas, and have commercial and ecological importance. Despite having overlapping distributions, similar life histories, and a strong dependence on the marine environment, there is limited knowledge about their growth and responses to environmental changes, hindering the effective management of their resources. In this study, we investigated the interspecies and intra-species differences in condition factor and their responses to temperature changes by analyzing data collected from wide coastal areas of the China Seas from June 2019 to November 2020. The findings showed that both species exhibited allometric growth and reproduced throughout the year, with two main breeding peaks. There were significant monthly variations and latitude differences in the intra-species growth, with a higher proportion of small-sized individuals (between 5 and 10 g for L. beka and between 10 and 20 g for U. duvaucelii) in low-latitude waters. The latitudinal differences in body weight and distribution between and within the two species were mainly due to natural habitats, especially temperature. Our mixed effect model results demonstrated that both species’ body weight increased with increasing temperature, suggesting that Loliginidae squid have significant environmental adaptability and can be used as an indicator species for studying environmental changes in the China Seas. These findings have significant implications for understanding the population dynamics, species development, and regionally specific management of Loliginidae squid fisheries in the China Seas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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20 pages, 8305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity and Distribution of 18 Cephalopod Species, and Their Link with Some Environmental Factors in the NW Pacific

by Rui Wang, Ran Zhang, Puqing Song, Shigang Liu, Yuan Li and Hai Li

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050694 - 22 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2183

Abstract

Some cephalopods are important fishery resources, with some major economic species living in pelagic waters, possessing short life history cycles, and responding strongly to environmental changes. The analysis of cephalopod community species composition, catch distribution, and their relationship with environmental factors in important [...] Read more.

Some cephalopods are important fishery resources, with some major economic species living in pelagic waters, possessing short life history cycles, and responding strongly to environmental changes. The analysis of cephalopod community species composition, catch distribution, and their relationship with environmental factors in important marine areas can provide a basic reference for cephalopod biogeography and resource development and utilization. In this study, based on the cephalopod survey data in the spring of 2015 and summer of 2016 in the Pacific Ocean, we analyzed the cephalopod species composition, diversity index (the Margalef richness index, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, and Pielou uniformity index), main contributing species, and catch distribution in the two seasons of spring and summer in the Pacific Ocean. We also analyzed the relationship between cephalopod catch, each diversity index, and environmental factors in each season using the GAM model. The results show that 18 species of cephalopods were captured in the spring and summer, the Margalef richness index, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, and Pielou uniformity index in summer was higher than that in spring; the average catch biomass in spring was significantly higher than that in summer. The main contributing species in spring was Todarodes pacificus, while the main contributing species in summer was Ommastrephes bartramii. The interaction of the “longitude” and “latitude” has a great impact on cephalopod catch biomass in spring, and “sea surface temperature” has a great impact on cephalopod catch biomass in summer. The results of the study can provide a basic reference for the study of cephalopod diversity and resource development and utilization in the Pacific Ocean. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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16 pages, 3121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial and Temporal Variations in Autumn Fish Assemblages in the Offshore Waters of the Yangtze Estuary

by Zhaomin Chen, Cui Liang and Weiwei Xian

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 669; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050669 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1477

Abstract

The offshore waters of the Yangtze Estuary are an important fish habitat, and the large gradient of environmental conditions leads to different fish assemblages. We studied the spatial and temporal variations in fish assemblages and their relationships with environmental factors in the offshore [...] Read more.

The offshore waters of the Yangtze Estuary are an important fish habitat, and the large gradient of environmental conditions leads to different fish assemblages. We studied the spatial and temporal variations in fish assemblages and their relationships with environmental factors in the offshore waters of the Yangtze Estuary during the autumns of 2012–2016. The fish assemblage consisted of 64 fish species from 39 families, of which 6 species were dominant. There were significant interannual differences in fish abundance, biomass, and species composition, with the highest abundance and biomass in 2013, the lowest abundance in 2016, and the lowest biomass in 2015. Redundancy analysis revealed that total suspended particles and dissolved oxygen drove interannual variation in fish abundance, biomass, and species composition, and depth drove spatial variation in the fish assemblage. According to the depth, the fish were classified as shallow assemblage and deep assemblage. Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of fish assemblage in the offshore waters of the Yangtze Estuary is beneficial to the conservation of fish and the sustainable use of fishery resources in the offshore waters of the Yangtze Estuary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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12 pages, 4839 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Round Scad (Decapterus maruadsi) in the Hainan Island Offshore Area

by Liangming Wang, Changping Yang, Yan Liu, Binbin Shan, Shengwei Ma and Dianrong Sun

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050659 - 12 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1295

Abstract

Fishery resource and environmental data from four surveys conducted in the Hainan Island offshore area from March 2021 to June 2022 were used to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of round scad (Decapterus maruadsi). A generalized additive model was applied to explore [...] Read more.

Fishery resource and environmental data from four surveys conducted in the Hainan Island offshore area from March 2021 to June 2022 were used to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of round scad (Decapterus maruadsi). A generalized additive model was applied to explore the relationships among abundance and distribution, also biotic and abiotic factors (i.e., temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a concentration, water depth, phytoplankton abundance, zooplankton abundance, and jack mackerel (Trachurus japonicas) abundance). Round scad abundance (average 67.17 kg/km²) showed distinct spatial and seasonal differences around Hainan Island, with highest abundance in summer (171.72 kg/km²) and lowest abundance in spring (3.06 kg/km²). The optimal model revealed that jack mackerel abundance, sea bottom temperature, sea surface temperature, and latitude very significantly (p < 0.01) affected round scad distribution. Jack mackerel abundance (mainly in the range 0–50 kg/km²) was positively correlated with round scad distribution. The distribution showed a dome-shaped relationship with bottom water temperature in the range 18–30 °C, with maximum abundance at 24 °C. The distribution was negatively correlated with surface water temperature in the range 22–30 °C. Sea surface chlorophyll-a concentration and longitude were significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with round scad distribution. The results provide theoretical support to further investigate the formation mechanism of round scad fishing grounds and to enrich knowledge of pelagic fish abundance in the continental-shelf waters of the northern South China Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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19 pages, 4044 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Climate Events on Abundance and Distribution of Major Commercial Fishes in the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea

by Xiaofan Hong, Kui Zhang, Jiajun Li, Youwei Xu, Mingshuai Sun, Yuezhong Wang, Shannan Xu, Yancong Cai, Yongsong Qiu and Zuozhi Chen

Diversity 2023, 15(5), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050649 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2112

Abstract

Improving prediction of ecological responses to climate variability requires understanding how local fish population dynamics are impacted by climate events. The present study was conducted in the Beibu Gulf of the northwestern South China Sea where the fisheries are characterized by high ecological [...] Read more.

Improving prediction of ecological responses to climate variability requires understanding how local fish population dynamics are impacted by climate events. The present study was conducted in the Beibu Gulf of the northwestern South China Sea where the fisheries are characterized by high ecological and commercial value. We evaluated the relationship between major commercial fish population dynamics (abundance and distribution) and climate periods, using survey data from 2006–2020. The analysis using random forest and GAM models show that climate events are not the best predictors for the variations of fish abundance, because abundance of most fish stocks decreases significantly with the year, and the increasing fishing pressure over time can better explain the overall downward trend in fishery stocks. However, environmental variables that correlate significantly with interannual variation in ONI may impact fish abundance in short terms. Our research suggests that climate events leading to higher surface seawater salinity in winter favors pelagic fishes by improving habitat availability, and higher near-surface chlorophyll-α concentration during La Niña events provides better food condition for overwintering fish. In addition, there is no clear evidence that climatic events have a significant impact on gravity center of fish distribution, whereas climate change has caused most fishes to move to cooler coastal waters in the north. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversity and Spatiotemporal Distribution of Nekton)

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