- KOREAN
- P-ISSN2287-8327
- E-ISSN2288-1220
- SCOPUS, KCI
ISSN : 2287-8327
Nutrient regime, N:P ratios and suspended solids as key factors influencing fish tolerance, trophic compositions, and stream ecosystem health
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of stream nutrient regime, N:P ratios and suspended solids on fish tolerance/trophic compositions and stream ecosystem health, based on multi-metric model, during 2008–2013. Also, stream ecosystem health was evaluated in relation to chlorophyll-a (CHL) as a measure of algal productivity or indicators of trophic state to water chemical parameters. Total number of sampled fish species were 50 and showed a decreasing trend from 2008 to 2013. The minnow of Zacco platypus, based on the catch per unit effort (CPUE), was the most dominant species (25.9%) among the all species. Spatial heterogeneity was evident in the fish tolerance guilds that showed the dominance of sensitive species (89%) in the headwaters (S1) and the dominance of tolerant species (57%) in the urban. These conditions were directly influenced by concentrations of nutrients and organic matter (COD). The N:P ratios, as a barometer of water pollution, had a negative linear function (R2 = 0.40, P < 0.01) with CHL, and the ratios had an important role in changes of COD concentration (R2 = 0.40, P < 0.01). Under the circumstances, the N:P ratio directly influenced the relative proportions of fish trophic/tolerance compositions. According to the regression analysis of omnivore (Om) and insectivore sp. (In) on total nitrogen and total phosphorus, nitrogen had no significant influences (P > 0.05) to the two compositions, but phosphorus influenced directly the two guilds [slope (a) = -32.3, R2 = 0.25, P < 0.01 in the In; a = 40.7, R2 = 0.19, P < 0.01 in the Om]. Such water chemistry and fish trophic guilds determined the stream ecosystem health, based on the multi-metric fish model.
- keywords
- chlorophyll-a, fish fauna, multi-metric model, N:P ratio, nutrient
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