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Nutrient regime, N:P ratios and suspended solids as key factors influencing fish tolerance, trophic compositions, and stream ecosystem health

Journal of Ecology and Environment / Journal of Ecology and Environment, (P)2287-8327; (E)2288-1220
2015, v.38 no.4, pp.505-515
Seon-Young Kim (Department of Biological Science, College of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Chungnam National Univ.)

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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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Journal of Ecology and Environment