Frontiers in Marine Science (Nov 2015)
Spatial and temporal variation in fish community of the Ria de Aveiro estuarine lagoon (Portugal).
Abstract
Fish assemblages of Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon (Northwest Portugal) were studied from February 2012 and January 2013. Sampling were monthly conducted with a traditional beach-seine net (“chincha”) at 9 sites. Multivariate approach were used in order to analyse the spatial and temporal variation in fish community. A total of 58,201 fishes, weighting 249,540 g, were identified, representing 37 taxa and 21 families. Four taxa (Atherina spp., Dicentrarchus labrax, Liza spp., and Sardina pilchardus) were responsible for 94.7% and 85.4% of the total abundance, in number and weight. There were significant differences in fish community, in terms of fish number and weight, between sites and between months (ANOSIM, p<0.01). A total of 12 species appeared as characteristics of one of more sampling sites either in terms of number and weight. In both cases, D. labrax, Liza spp. and Atherina spp. were typical throughout the study area. Other species, such as Spondyliosoma cantharus appeared as typical only in the part of the lagoon more influenced by marine waters, whereas Anguilla anguilla was typical of the inner area. A total of 11 (in number) or 13 (in weight) species appeared as typical of at least one month of the year. Liza spp. and Atherina spp. were typical all the year round for number and weight data. In both cases, D. labrax, Diplodus spp. and S. pilchardus, appeared as a typical from spring to autumn. The number of typical species varied with the season, being maximum in May and minimum in winter. Finally, results of this work were discussed in comparison to previous studies.
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