Length–Weight Relationships and Diversity Status of Fishes in the Midstream of the Jialing River, a Tributary of the Upper Yangtze River, China

Abstract

The study described the length–weight relationships (LWRs) and diversity status of fishes in the midstream of the Jialing River, which is the largest tributary of the upper Yangtze River, China. A total of 4592 specimens from 53 fish species belonging to three orders and eight families were collected from December 2021 to November 2022. The results showed that Culter oxycephaloides, Xenocypris davidi, Hemibarbus labeo, Hemiculter tchangi were dominant fish species in the study region. Twenty-five fish species (IRI ≥ 10) were subjected to LWR analysis, and the regression parameters a and b for fish species varied from 0.006 to 0.333 and 2.129 to 3.391. Eleven fish species were determined to have isometric growth, and 14 fish species were determined to have allometric growth. The diversity analyses suggested that the diversity status of fishes were kept relatively stable during the sampling period and that the fishes suffered moderate disturbance in the midstream of the Jialing River. The present study provided basic biology data for fish conservation and management after the fishing ban in the Jialing River.

Keywords

• biodiversity
• length–weight relationships
• fish conservation
• the Jialing River
• the upper Yangtze River