Effects of within-patch habitat structure and variation on fish assemblage characteristics in the Bernecei stream, Hungary

Abstract –  Over a 3-year period we examined variability in physical habitat structure and species richness, abundance and assemblage composition of fishes in 13 habitat patches in the Bernecei stream, Hungary. Principal component analysis of habitat structure data from patches elucidated a riffle-run-pool habitat gradient across patches. Temporal habitat variability increased significantly from riffle to pool patches. Fish assemblage characteristics displayed relatively continuous change over the habitat gradient and were relatively stable within patches. Assemblage structure properties (e.g., species richness) displayed different responses to the habitat gradient and to within-patch habitat variability. In general, pool patches had more diverse assemblages and greater within-patch assemblage variability than riffle patches. However, within-patch dynamics were largely determined by the population dynamics of a habitat generalist (i.e., minnow). Broad scale environmental variability (i.e., a catastrophic 100-year flood) also appeared to affect within-patch fish assemblage characteristics. Our results demonstrate that fish assemblage structure is influenced by physical variability (i.e., both floods and spatio-temporal habitat variability) within the Bernecei stream.     

Adding large woody material into a headwater stream has immediate benefits for macroinvertebrate community structure and function

1. Hydromorphological rehabilitation through installing large woody material (LWM) is increasingly being used to reverse degradation of stream ecosystems. There have been many criticisms of stream rehabilitation projects, because many have not met their goals and many others have not been monitored well enough to assess whether their goals were met.
2. In a before–after–control design (with samples collected 1 year before and two successive years after LWM installation), instream biotopes and their macroinvertebrate assemblages were used as structural and functional units to assess the effectiveness of LWM installed at the Rolleston Brook, a headwater tributary of the River Welland in Leicestershire, UK.
3. The project was successful in enhancing the coefficient of variation of channel water depth and width, wetted surface area, number of instream biotopes, and the biotope diversity in the rehabilitated reach.
4. LWM installation led to significant increases in macroinvertebrate total density, total biomass, and taxon richness. Macroinvertebrate community composition was also enhanced, so that it became more similar to that of the control reach.
5. Small increases in the number of instream biotopes (appearance of gravel and leaf litter) and changes in biotope proportions (decreasing percentage of silt) were significantly related to changes in the macroinvertebrate community metrics in the rehabilitated reach.
6. The results show that using macroinvertebrate community composition is more effective than only using taxon richness and/or diversity metrics for understanding the relationship between LWM installation and macroinvertebrate community responses. To be effective, samples must also be collected in a predefined sampling protocol stratified at the instream biotope level. This approach would be of great benefit in evaluating biodiversity conservation value, and could be incorporated into the advice provided by Natural England concerning restoration and protection of English rivers that are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest under UK legislation or Special Areas of Conservation under European legislation.

     

Fish community responses to stream flow alterations and habitat modifications by small hydropower projects in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot,India

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Ecological impacts of small hydropower plants on headwater stream fish: from individual to community effects

Hydroelectricity is increasingly used worldwide as a source of renewable energy, and many mountain ranges have dozens or hundreds of hydropower plants, with many more being under construction or planned. Although the ecological impacts of large dams are relatively well known, the effects of small hydropower plants and their weirs have been much less investigated. We studied the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants on fish assemblages in the upper Ter river basin (Catalonia, NE Spain), which has headwater reaches with good water quality and no large dams but many of such plants. We studied fish populations and habitat features on control and impacted reaches for water diversion of 16 hydropower plants. In the impacted reaches, there was a significantly lower presence of refuges for fish, poorer habitat quality, more pools and less riffles and macrophytes, and shallower water levels. We also observed higher fish abundance, larger mean fish size and better fish condition in the control than in impacted reaches, although the results were species‐specific. Accordingly, species composition was also affected, with lower relative abundance of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Pyrenean minnow (Phoxinus bigerri) in the impacted reaches and higher presence of stone loach (Barbatula quignardi) and Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis). Our study highlights the effects of water diversion of small hydropower plants from the individual to the population and community levels but probably underestimates them, urging for further assessment and mitigation of these ecological impacts.     

Influences of local habitat and stream spatial position on fish assemblages in a dammed watershed,the Qingyi Stream,China

Abstract – Identifying the underlying mechanisms that explain the spatial variation in stream fish assemblages is crucial for the protection of species diversity. The influences of local habitat and stream spatial position on fish assemblages were examined from first‐order through third‐order streams within a dammed watershed, the Qingyi Stream, China. Based on linear regression models, the most important environmental variables influencing fish species richness were water temperature and wetted width, but stream spatial position variables were less important. Using canonical correspondence analysis, five environmental variables were identified to significantly influence fish assemblages, including three habitats (elevation, substrate and water depth) and two spatial variables (C‐link and Link). Our results suggest that, in a heavily dammed watershed, by blocking the migration routes of fishes, dams weaken the influence of stream spatial position on fish species richness. However, fish species compositions are significantly influenced by both local habitat environment and stream spatial position, which is perhaps owing to the distribution of fish species according to ecological requirements not related to spatial processes.     

The effect of lakes on the stream fish fauna

The effect of natural lakes on the fish species distribution in surrounding streams was studied using electrofishing survey data from 3281 localities in streams throughout Sweden. The occurrence of lake fish (northern pike, European perch, roach and burbot) was significantly higher close to lakes, both up- and downstream, as compared to localities further up- or downstream of lakes. Correspondingly, the occurrences of stream fish (brown trout, grayling, European minnow and bullheads) were lower close to lakes. It is suggested that the lower occurrences of the latter close to lakes be due to biotic interaction with lake fish, especially predation from pike and burbot. The results strongly indicate that the effect of lakes on water temperature, drift of plankton and invertebrates or the moderating effect on water fluctuations and quality did not influence the stream fish fauna to the same extent as the presence of lake fish in a zone up- as downstream of the lakes. Lakes function as a reservoir of strong predators and competitors.     

Effects of fish species richness and assemblage composition on stream ecosystem function

Abstract –  Biodiversity is declining across aquatic ecosystems because of biological invasions and species extinctions. Because fishes have pervasive effects on ecosystems through species-specific food web interactions, alterations to species and functional richness, and composition of natural assemblages could have negative effects on aquatic ecosystem function. In this study, I tested the effects of fish species and functional richness, and assemblage composition on primary production (PPR), benthic invertebrate density, and benthic particulate organic matter (BPOM) in a 42-day experiment in artificial stream mesocosms. I found that fish species richness and assemblage composition were important predictors of PPR in stream mesocosms. However, the effect of species richness on PPR increased with time, suggesting that richness-related effects might strengthen as the magnitude of community-level interactions increases in ecosystems. There was no effect of fish species or functional richness or assemblage composition on benthic invertebrate densities or BPOM. These data provide additional support that fishes can be important regulators of ecosystem function in aquatic systems, and suggest that positive effects of fishes on ecosystems can be strengthened by increased species richness and composition of the assemblage. This study broadens the applicability of the biodiversity ecosystem-function literature to a new suite of taxa, supporting the overall hypothesis that ecosystem functions and services are likely to decline in response to species extinctions.     

金沙江下游向家坝库区鱼类群落结构空间格局

为了解金沙江下游水电梯级开发对鱼类群落的影响,于2016-2018年采用复合刺网和地笼对向家坝库区库首邵女坪、库中绥江和库尾桧溪的鱼类群落进行了7次调查,探究了建坝后的鱼类种类组成、个体大小、生态类群及其空间分布特征。共采集到鱼类59种,隶属于6目16科49属,其中长江上游特有鱼类5种,外来鱼类12种。在邵女坪、绥江和桧溪江段分别采集到鱼类39、40和39种,Jaccard相似性指数分析表明,3个江段鱼类群落物种组成为中等相似。相对重要性指数（IRI）分析显示,邵女坪江段鱼类群落的优势种为中华倒刺鲃和?,绥江江段优势种为?、鲢、瓦氏黄颡鱼和鳙,桧溪江段优势种为瓦氏黄颡鱼、镜鲤、鲤、?、草鱼和鲫。NMDS分析显示,库首邵女坪和库尾桧溪江段鱼类群落差异相对较大,Bray-Curtis相异指数为0.59;库中绥江与库首邵女坪鱼类群落更为相似,Bray-Curtis相异指数为0.41;库中绥江和库尾桧溪的Bray-Curtis相异指数为0.46。广适性鱼类是向家坝库区各江段的优势类群,分别占鱼类种类、数量和重量的57.7%±5.9%、65.2%±20.7%和47.7%±16.1%;从库首至库尾江段其数量百分数分别为43.3%、67.8%和84.5%,呈现逐渐增加趋势。向家坝库区渔获群体体长范围为29~655mm,平均体长为128±65mm,体重范围为0.1~5408g,平均体重为70±218g,主要种类（鲤和镜鲤除外）在不同江段间个体大小差异显著（P<0.05）。与蓄水前（2011年）相比,金沙江下游鱼类群落发生了显著变化,流水性的特有鱼类减少,外来鱼类增多。研究结果为梯级水电开发生态环境影响评价及鱼类保护提供了依据,为长江“十年禁渔”效果评估提供了本底资料。     

Effect of an intensive mechanical removal effort on a population of non‐native rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a South African headwater stream

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Shining a light on the loss of rheophilic fish habitat in lowland rivers as a forgotten consequence of barriers,and its implications for management

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黑龙江流域鱼类资源现状及放流鱼类选择

详细阐述、分析了黑龙江流域鱼类的资源现状及濒危状况、黑龙江流域鱼类放流现状及效果、增殖放流物种选择依据等,提出拟选择施氏鲟、达氏鳇、大麻哈鱼、驼背大麻哈鱼等11种鱼类为黑龙江水域第一批增殖放流鱼类,探讨了拟选择鱼类生态特点.最后根据黑龙江流域鱼类放流现状,提出了需要研究的问题.     

Effects of a rock‐ramp fishway on summer fish assemblage in a Lake Huron tributary

The use of nature‐like fishways to increase ecosystem connectivity has increased in recent years, but their effectiveness has rarely been evaluated. A rock ramp was constructed in the Shiawassee River in 2009, and post‐construction effects (2011–2012) were evaluated on the summer fish assemblage by comparing fish assemblage composition to a nearby free‐flowing river and a nearby river with a dam. Patterns of fish species richness, mean catch‐per‐unit‐effort and proportional abundance in reaches upstream and downstream of the rock ramp, dam and comparable sites in the free‐flowing river were evaluated. Overall, species richness by site and proportional abundance in the rock‐ramp river were more similar to the free‐flowing river, while species richness by reach was more similar to the dammed river. These findings suggest that the rock ramp has improved connectivity for the summer fish assemblage, but has not fully restored conditions to the level observed in a free‐flowing river.     

Spatial and temporal distribution of fish in a small lowland stream

Abstract  The fish fauna and habitat characteristics in five reaches of a small lowland stream were studied through the summer and winter of one year. All species densities, except Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., were correlated with either instream or outstream cover, reaffirming the importance of cover to maintain the local abundance of fish populations. There were significant differences between reaches in the density of all the fish species studied, with the exception of the larger size group of dace. Leuciscus leuciscus (L.), and between sampling times for salmon, dace and eel, Anguilla anguilla (L.). There were significant differences between reaches for all the measured habitat variables apart from instream cover, and between sampling times for velocity. instream cover, and substrate particle size, but not depth, width:depth ratio and outstream cover. The implications of these variations for fish stock assessment and predictive fish habitat models such as PHABSIM and habitat suitability indices are discussed.     

Assemblage structure and habitat use of fishes in a Central European submontane stream: a patch-based approach

Abstract –  We examined macrohabitat patch level assemblage composition and habitat use patterns of fishes over four seasons in a second-order submontane stream (Danube drainage, Hungary). Rainfall data indicated that our study included both high- and low-water periods, and hence our results may be applicable to broader time scales. Principal component analysis of physical habitat data from 13 macrohabitat patches indicated that these patches represented a riffle-pool continuum. Correspondence analysis of fish assemblage structure data from these patches identified a continuum in assemblage composition that was positively correlated with the habitat continuum. The riffle fauna was dominated by stone loach ( Barbatula barbatula ), whereas chub ( Leuciscus cephalus ) were most abundant in pool patches. We detected little evidence of seasonality in either fish assemblage structure or habitat use. Fish density did not differ significantly among macrohabitat patches in two (summer and autumn 1999) of three seasonal samples, although riffle patches displayed significantly higher fish abundance in late spring 2000. This difference primarily was due to higher abundance of juvenile stone loach in riffles. Two species, stone loach and minnow ( Phoxinus phoxinus ), displayed generalized habitat use patterns, whereas chub and rare species (i.e., gudgeon, Gobio gobio ; dace, Leuciscus leuciscus ; Barbus petenyi ; and burbot, Lota lota ) were significantly over-represented in pool habitats. We hypothesized that pool specialists (i.e., chub and rare species) were responding primarily to the increased depth of these habitats. Nevertheless, our data did not demonstrate the presence of separate pool and riffle habitat guilds. In conclusion, we believe that our understanding of stream fish ecology will be greatly facilitated by use of a 'patch-based approach'.     

Big impacts from small abstractions: The effects of surface water abstraction on freshwater fish assemblages

1. Abstractions and diversions are prevalent in river networks worldwide; however, specific mechanisms and measures reflecting changes in functional characteristics of aquatic assemblages in response to flow abstraction have not been well established. In particular, the influence of small takes on fish assemblages is poorly understood.
2. Field surveys and stable‐isotope analyses were used to evaluate the impact of differing levels of flow abstraction on fish assemblage structure, and native–non‐native patterns of coexistence, associated with small surface water abstractions in four streams in New Zealand. Study design accounted for longitudinal processes (spatial autocorrelation) to isolate the effects of abstractions on fish assemblages.
3. Reaches with reduced flows downstream of abstraction points had significantly lower fish abundances per metre of stream length, probably because of decreased habitat size, altered interspecific interactions and barriers to movement. The loss of larger fish in reaches with high abstraction resulted in shallower mass–abundance slopes and shorter stable isotope‐derived food‐chain lengths, likely to have been caused by fewer trophic links in the food web. The large fish absent from these reaches were flow‐sensitive introduced salmonids, resulting in higher relative abundances of small‐bodied native fish, probably as a result of predatory and competitive release.
4. Quantification of metrics designed to characterize ecosystem functioning as well as abundance and species composition indicated that small water abstractions can alter both the structure and composition of stream fish assemblages and modify the outcomes of native–non‐native species interactions. Thus, a better understanding of the effects of small abstractions could be used to improve the strategic management of fish in invaded riverscapes.

     

Associations between stream hydrogeomorphology and co‐dependent mussel–fish assemblages: evidence from an Ohio,USA river system

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Tourism impact on stream fish measured with an ecological and a behavioural indicator

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Long-term patterns of microhabitat use by fish in a southern Appalachian stream from 1983 to 1992: effects of hydrologic period, season and fish length

Abstract— We quantified microhabitat use by members of a southern Appalachian stream fish assemblage over a ten-year period that included both floods and droughts. Our study site (37 m in length) encompassed riffle, run and pool habitats. Previous research indicated that species belonged to either benthic or water-column microhabitat guilds. Most species exhibited non-random microhabitat use in all seasons, and benthic and water column species generally were over-represented in the deeper portions of the site. In addition, water column species generally were over-represented in microhabitats with lower average velocities. The majority of seasonal shifts in microhabitat use were passive (i. e. correlated with changes in microhabitat availability), whereas, most shifts associated with hydrological periods appeared to be active responses to changing environmental conditions. Most species exhibited length-related shifts in microhabitat use, which were strongly affected by hydrologic period for four of ten species. Microhabitat use patterns of assemblage members appeared to be a consequence of species-specific responses to changing environmental conditions. The highly flexible patterns of microhabitat use exhibited by these species necessitate that decisions regarding their management be based on data covering a range of environmental conditions.     

Restoration of a Danish headwater stream: short‐term changes in plant species abundance and composition

1. This paper describes the short‐term effects (2 years) of stream restoration on vascular plant communities in a 1.4 km upper reach of the River Gudenå, Denmark. The effects of restoration were assessed in terms of the abundance and composition of plant species in the stream, on the banks and in the stream valley. 2. Total species richness was similar before and after restoration, and comprised approximately 150 species representing 12% of the entire Danish vascular plant flora. 3. In the stream, total plant cover had not recovered to pre‐restoration levels 2 years after restoration. Cover by submerged, amphibious and terrestrial species growing submerged decreased, as did the number of amphibious and terrestrial species growing submerged. 4. On the banks, total plant cover almost attained pre‐restoration levels the second year after restoration. The plant communities changed from dominance by non‐riparian species to more diverse communities with a greater number and increased cover of riparian gramineous species requiring a higher soil moisture content. 5. In the valley, the plant communities only changed slightly after restoration, although growth of riparian species was enhanced on the southern side of the stream. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Qualitative and quantitative effects of reintroduced beavers on stream fish

Reintroduction of beaver (Castor spp) may facilitate rehabilitation of freshwater habitats providing a cost‐effective sustainable means of improving ecological conditions. Despite extensive research, debate and consultation, a general consensus on the impact of beaver on fishes has proven elusive because of variability in biological response. This paper provides a systematic review of the impacts of beaver dams on fishes and fish habitat based on a meta‐analysis of the literature and expert opinion. Research is regionally biased to North America (88%). The most frequently cited benefits of beaver dams were increased habitat heterogeneity, rearing and overwintering habitat and flow refuge, and invertebrate production. Impeded fish movement because of dams, siltation of spawning habitat and low oxygen levels in ponds were the most often cited negative impacts. Benefits (184) were cited more frequently than costs (119). Impacts were spatially and temporally variable and differed with species. The majority of 49 North American and European experts considered beaver to have an overall positive impact on fish populations, through their influence on abundance and productivity. Perceived negative effects related to the movement of aquatic organisms in tributary streams, including upstream and downstream migrating salmonids, and the availability of suitable spawning habitat.