Extent and role for fish populations of riverine ecotones along the Sinnamary river (French Guiana)

Morais, Luis Tito de; Lointier, Marc; Hoff, Michel

doi:10.1007/bf00034054

Cited by 15 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Second, side channels may offer better foraging opportunities than main channels during runoff. Food availability may be greater in side channels than in main channels (Tito de Morais, Lointier & Hoff, ), especially for larval and age‐0 fish (Nunn, Harvey & Cowx, ,b). Prey such as zooplankton (Bothar, ) and macroinvertebrates (Eckblad, Volden & Weilgart, ; Sheaffer & Nickum, ) may have been more abundant in side channels than in main channels.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative use of side and main channels by small‐bodied fish in a large, unimpounded river

et al. 2016

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Summary Ecological theory and field studies suggest that lateral floodplain connectivity and habitat heterogeneity provided by side channels impart favourable habitat conditions for lotic fishes, especially fluvial fishes dependent on large patches of shallow, slow velocity habitats for some portion of their life cycle. However, anthropogenic modification of large, temperate floodplain rivers has led to extensive channel simplification and side‐channel loss. Highly modified rivers consist of simplified channels in contracted, less dynamic floodplains. Most research examining the seasonal importance of side channels for fish assemblages in large rivers has been carried out in heavily modified rivers, where side‐channel extents are substantially reduced from pre‐settlement times, and has often overlooked small‐bodied fishes. Inferences about the ecological importance of side channels for small‐bodied fishes in large rivers can be ascertained only from investigations of large rivers with largely intact floodplains. The Yellowstone River, our study area, is a rare example of one such river. We targeted small‐bodied fishes and compared their habitat use in side and main channels in two geomorphically distinct types of river bends during early and late snowmelt runoff, and autumn base flow. Species compositions of side and main channels differed throughout hydroperiods concurrent with the seasonal redistribution of the availability of shallow, slow current‐velocity habitats. More species of fish used side channels than main channels during runoff. Additionally, catch rates of small fishes were generally greater in side channels than in main channels and quantitative assemblage compositions differed between channel types during runoff, but not during base flow. Presence of and access to diverse habitats facilitated the development and persistence of diverse fish assemblages in our study area. Physical dissimilarities between side and main channels may have differentially structured the side‐ and main‐channel fish assemblages during runoff. Patches of shallow, slow current‐velocity (SSCV) habitats in side channels were larger and had slightly slower water velocities than SSCV habitat patches in main channels during runoff, but not during base flow. Our findings establish a baseline importance of side channels to riverine fishes in a large, temperate river without heavy anthropogenic modification. Establishing this baseline contributes to basic fluvial ecology and provides empirical justification for restoration efforts that reconnect large rivers with their floodplains.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative use of side and main channels by small‐bodied fish in a large, unimpounded river

et al. 2016

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“…In any environment, species composition changes gradually or abruptly between habitats. These ecological gradients have been the subject of a number of studies in ecology and usually reflect the abundance and richness of species [1][2][3][4]. Rapid changes in species ecological gradients, termed ecotones, have been observed in a variety of ecosystems [1].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Openness of Fish Habitat Matters: Lake Pelagic Fish Community Starts Very Close to the Shore

Moraes

Souza

Vašek

et al. 2021

Water

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Fish communities differ significantly between the littoral and the pelagic habitats. This paper attempts to define the shift in communities between the two habitats based on the European standard gillnet catch. We sampled the benthic and pelagic habitats from shore to shore in Lake Most and Římov Reservoir (Czech Republic). The 3 m deep pelagic nets were spanned across the water body at equal distances from two boundary points, where the depth was 3.5 m. The benthic community contained more fish, more species, and smaller individuals. The mild sloped littoral with a soft bottom attracted more fish than the sloping bank with a hard bottom and less benthos and large Daphnia. The catch of the pelagic nets was dominated by eurytopic fish—rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) in Most and bleak (Alburnus alburnus) in Římov. With the exception of one case where overgrown macrophytes extended the structured habitat, the largest shift from the benthic to the pelagic community was observed only in the first pelagic gillnet above the bottom depth of 3.5 m. Open water catches were relatively constant with small signs of decline towards the middle of the lake. The results indicate that the benthic gillnet catch is representative of a very limited area and volume, while most of the volume is dominated by the pelagic community. This has important consequences for the assessment of the community parameters of the whole lake following the European standards for gillnet sampling design.

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“…upstream of the reservoir, hereafter called upstream section) crosses forest types ranging from terra firme forested to flooded‐ and permanent swamp forest. Downstream from the dam (downstream section), the river meanders through an old coastal plain (for further details see Tito de Morais, Lointier & Hoff 1995). The completion of the Petit Saut Dam in 1994 changed the discharge pattern in the downstream section (Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species traits in relation to habitat variability and state: neotropical juvenile fish in floodplain creeks

2001

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1. Ecological theory predicts that (1) proportions of fish having particular life history strategies should vary with habitat conditions, and (2) biological traits of species should change across spatio‐temporal variability gradients (River Habitat Templet). 2. We used data on juvenile fish and biological traits of the species, temporal (i.e. hydrology) and spatial (e.g. depth, bottom substrate, litter type) habitat variability and state (i.e. mean conditions) to test these predictions for communities comprising 57 fish taxa in floodplain creeks of the Sinnamary River (French Guiana). 3. We did not confirm predictions on habitat use according to groupings based on life history strategies. However, we found 10 significant relationships between species traits and habitat variability (e.g. size at maturity, diameter of mature oocytes, parental care and relative body height decreased with increasing temporal variability; size at maturity and mean diameter of mature oocytes increased with increasing spatial variability). In addition, state variables such as mean water level, dissolved oxygen, mean width or mean depth could explain much of the variation in species traits. 4. Thus, our results generally supported the River Habitat Templet but suggested that state, in addition to variability, should be included in habitat descriptions.

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Extent and role for fish populations of riverine ecotones along the Sinnamary river (French Guiana)

Cited by 15 publications

References 12 publications

Comparative use of side and main channels by small‐bodied fish in a large, unimpounded river

Comparative use of side and main channels by small‐bodied fish in a large, unimpounded river

Openness of Fish Habitat Matters: Lake Pelagic Fish Community Starts Very Close to the Shore

Species traits in relation to habitat variability and state: neotropical juvenile fish in floodplain creeks

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