Seasonal Variation in the Trophic Structure of the Fish Community in Dongshan Bay and Adjacent Waters
Seasonal Variation in the Trophic Structure of the Fish Community in Dongshan Bay and Adjacent Waters
Ying Guan1,2, Puqing Song2, Xing Miao2, Hai Li2, Rui Wang2, Liangming Wang3, Yuan Li2* and Longshan Lin2*
ABSTRACT
Based on bottom trawl survey data collected in November 2009 (autumn), February 2010 (winter), May 2010 (spring), and August 2010 (summer), the seasonal variation in the trophic structure of the fish community in Dongshan Bay and adjacent waters was investigated. A total of 114 species of fish were caught in surveys throughout the year. According to their feeding habits, the fish species in the surveyed area were classified into six functional groups, including planktivores (FG1), planktivores/benthivores (FG2), benthivores (FG3), benthivores/piscivores (FG4), piscivores (FG5), and omnivores (FG6). FG3 was the most diverse group, with 43 species, followed by FG4, with 29 species. The biomass of FG3 was the highest among all functional groups throughout the year and in each individual season. FG1 and FG5 had higher biomass proportions in spring than in the other seasons, accounting for 8.02% and 16.72%, respectively. The functional group diversity (HFD) and species diversity (Hs) showed similar variations, reaching their lowest values in winter and highest values in summer. In 2009-2010, the mean trophic position of the fish community in Dongshan Bay and adjacent waters was 3.64. This value was 3.74 in winter (highest), 3.49 in summer (lowest), 3.71 in spring, and 3.63 in autumn. The relationship between the trophic position and the mean body mass indicated that the seasonal variation in the mean body mass of high-trophic-level fish species was the highest in winter, followed by autumn, spring, and summer. In general, with seasonal and temporal changes, large-bodied, high-trophic-level fishes were gradually replaced by small-bodied, low-trophic-level fishes in the fish community of Dongshan Bay and adjacent waters in 2009-2010, and the trophic structure tended to become simplified.
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