The Influence of Freshwater on Nekton Community Structure in Hydrologically Distinct Basins in Northeastern Florida Bay, FL, USA

Flaherty, Kerry E.; Matheson, Richard; McMichael, Robert H.; Perry, William B.

doi:10.1007/s12237-013-9614-3

Cited by 18 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…in certain small and large Brazilian estuaries, there is a change in species composition that can be directly linked to the longitudinal salinity gradient within these systems (Neves et al, 2011;dos Passos et al, 2013). Even in those estuaries and bays that have relatively large freshwater inputs and low salinities in the upper reaches, freshwater fish taxa are often poorly represented (Leitão et al, 2007;Vilar et al, 2011;González-Ortegon et al, 2012;Flaherty et al, 2013). In addition, those few freshwater species that do venture into the upper reaches of estuaries with perennial rivers are often forced to retreat into the catchments during drought years when salinities in these systems increase (Baptista et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why are there so few freshwater fish species in most estuaries?

Whitfield

2015

Journal of Fish Biology

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The freshwater fish assemblage in most estuaries is not as species rich as the marine assemblage in the same systems. Coupled with this differential richness is an apparent inability by most freshwater fish species to penetrate estuarine zones that are mesohaline (salinity: 5·0-17·9), polyhaline (salinity: 18·0-29·9) or euhaline (salinity: 30·0-39·9). The reason why mesohaline waters are avoided by most freshwater fishes is difficult to explain from a physiological perspective as many of these species would be isosmotic within this salinity range. Perhaps, a key to the poor penetration of estuarine waters by freshwater taxa is an inability to develop chloride cells in gill filament epithelia, as well as a lack of other osmoregulatory adaptations present in euryhaline fishes. Only a few freshwater fish species, especially some of those belonging to the family Cichlidae, have become fully euryhaline and have successfully occupied a wide range of estuaries, sometimes even dominating in hyperhaline systems (salinity 40+). Indeed, this review found that there are few fish species that can be termed holohaline (i.e. capable of occupying waters with a salinity range of 0-100+) and, of these taxa, there is a disproportionally high number of freshwater species (e.g. Cyprinodon variegatus, Oreochromis mossambicus and Sarotherodon melanotheron). Factors such as increased competition for food and higher predation rates by piscivorous fishes and birds may also play an important role in the low species richness and abundance of freshwater taxa in estuaries. Added to this is the relatively low species richness of freshwater fishes in river catchments when compared with the normally higher diversity of marine fish species for potential estuarine colonization from the adjacent coastal waters. The almost complete absence of freshwater fish larvae from the estuarine ichthyoplankton further reinforces the poor representation of this guild within these systems. An explanation as to why more freshwater fish species have not become euryhaline and occupied a wide range of estuaries similar to their marine counterparts is probably due to a combination of the above described factors, with physiological restrictions pertaining to limited salinity tolerances probably playing the most important role.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why are there so few freshwater fish species in most estuaries?

Whitfield

2015

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…from Black Point to Shoal Point) in terms of their respective fish density patterns. As mentioned above, in Florida Bay, Flaherty et al (2013) found L . parva quantities were generally higher at locations where salinity variation was higher, yet the opposite pattern emerged in our study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…parva density during the high inflow period was over twice that during the low flow period. Similarly, Flaherty et al (2013) analyzed 4 years of fish density data collected from 11 basins within Florida Bay, with average salinities ranging from 16 to 37 psu. They placed each basin in high, moderate, and low salinity variability categories (based on salinity standard deviation) and found that L .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the rainwater killifish (Lucania parva) as an indicator of Everglades restoration

Serafy

Zink

Shideler

et al. 2021

Restoration Ecology

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Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) objectives include the return of more natural salinity regimes to the bays and estuaries of southern Florida (U.S.A.). We examined for spatiotemporal patterns in rainwater killifish (Lucania parva) density and size with emphasis on relations with salinity, salinity variation, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), temperature, and depth. Using linear quantile mixed models (LQMM) and cluster analyses, we analyzed 18 consecutive wet-dry seasons (9 years) of enclosure trap data from 44 fixed stations along mainland shoreline of southern Biscayne Bay, Florida. The LQMM results suggested that SAV was the strongest influencing, and (potentially) most limiting, habitat variable on killifish density, and that decreases in mean salinity and salinity variation may result in higher killifish densities in our study domain. Killifish sizehabitat relationships were few. Cluster analysis of stations, based on killifish densities across time, failed to reveal clear spatial fish density gradients, consistent density hot-spots, or grouping according to median habitat conditions. However, cluster analysis of seasons, based on killifish densities across space, indicated that high densities were associated with the wet season and low densities with the dry, although this depended on year. Our analyses suggest that realization of lower salinities and lower salinity variation in our study domain, if they are not accompanied by SAV decreases, may enhance killifish populations and/or their role as prey. Owing to its high stress-tolerance and extreme variability in density, L. parva is not an ideal indicator species of CERP-modified salinity conditions, but warrants tracking as restoration activities ensue.

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“…We believe that the distinctive appearance of the hybrids (especially in terms of pigment and pattern) makes it very unlikely that biologists would not have noticed any hybrids collected in the intensively surveyed IRL, making the 10-year delay in collecting them even more unusual. In southeast Florida, including Biscayne Bay, the Keys, and eastern Florida Bay, the sea bream is also more populous than is the sheepshead in most estuaries (Flaherty et al 2013;Hammerschlag and Serafy 2010), but no hybrids have been reported there. Within the western North Atlantic, sheepshead are found alone in estuaries north of central Florida (FIM unpublished data; Akin et al 2003;Stunz et al 2010), sea bream are found alone in areas such as Cuba and Venezuela (Claro et al 2001;De Grado and Bashirullah 2001), and the two species occur together, without known hybridization, in estuaries in the southern Gulf of Mexico (Ramos-Miranda et al 2005;Palacios-Sánchez et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic relationships and hybridization among three western Atlantic sparid species: sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus), sea bream (A. rhomboidalis) and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides)

et al. 2019

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Three species of sparids in the western Atlantic, sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus), sea bream (A. rhomboidalis), and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), share overlapping habitats, spawning seasons, and spawning grounds, providing opportunities for interaction among these species. Three regions of mitochondrial DNA and three nuclear DNA intron sequences were used to construct the genetic relationships among these species. The results showed that these species are closely related, suggesting the presence of soft polytomy with sheepshead and western Atlantic sea bream as sister species. However, western Atlantic sea bream and pinfish are equally divergent from sheepshead. We used a suite of 18 microsatellite markers to verify the occurrence of hybridization, identify the parental types, and evaluate the filial-generation status of 36 individuals morphologically identified as hybrids from the Indian River Lagoon system, in Florida. The 36 putative hybrids were analyzed with a reference group of 172 western Atlantic sea bream, 232 pinfish, and 157 sheepsheads and were all genetically determined to be F 1 of sheepshead and western Atlantic sea bream with very little indication or no introgressive hybridization among the 172 reference specimens of western Atlantic sea bream. Hybridization was asymmetric, with western Atlantic sea bream males crossing with sheepshead females. Hybrids were first observed in the Indian River Lagoon in 2005, after the western Atlantic sea bream had become common there, in the 1990s. Their occurrence could be associated with unique features of the Indian River Lagoon that bring the two species together or with recent anthropogenic changes in this system. Further study is needed to determine the causes and long-term effects of the recurrent production of F 1 hybrids and the degree of their sterility in the Indian River Lagoon.

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The Influence of Freshwater on Nekton Community Structure in Hydrologically Distinct Basins in Northeastern Florida Bay, FL, USA

Cited by 18 publications

References 32 publications

Why are there so few freshwater fish species in most estuaries?

Why are there so few freshwater fish species in most estuaries?

Evaluating the rainwater killifish (Lucania parva) as an indicator of Everglades restoration

Genetic relationships and hybridization among three western Atlantic sparid species: sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus), sea bream (A. rhomboidalis) and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides)

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